EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Childhood Obesity

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research he has commissioned into the link between childhood obesity and consumption of fizzy drinks.

Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department, which is co-ordinating action on obesity, has not commissioned nor has specific plans to commission research on the effects of consumption of different food products on weight gain, excess weight and obesity among schoolchildren.
	The Food Standards Agency is developing a strategy to help consumers achieve energy balance.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Anschutz Entertainment Group

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether  (a) officials and  (b) Ministers in her Department have met representatives of the Anshutz Entertainment Group.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 18 December 2006
	Ministers and officials met representatives of Anshutz Entertainment Group on the following occasions:
	
		
			  Date  
			 February 2003 Official(s) 
			 July 2004 My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and officials 
			 November 2004 Official(s) 
			 February 2005 Official(s) 
			 April 2005 Group Chief Executive of UK Trade and Investment and officials 
			 April 2005 Official(s) 
			 July 2005 Official(s)

Anti-conversion Laws

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of anti-conversion laws in  (a) Malaysia,  (b) Indonesia,  (c) Pakistan and  (d) India; and what assessment she has made of the recent development of women's rights in each of these countries.

Ian McCartney: The Malaysian Federal Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. However, Muslims are subject to Shari'a law with respect to family matters which includes apostasy. Muslims can only change their religion with the permission of a Shari'a Court who will often not allow this, and may order periods of rehabilitation and other penalties for those who attempt to do it. In addition, the application of Shari'a is a state, rather than federal matter and so varies around the country—the State of Negeri Sembilan allows apostasy. This complicated issue impacts on a minority of people who wish to leave Islam—a recent survey by an academic found that there were only 100 applications to the Shari'a Courts to apostatise between 1994-2003. The majority of applicants are from people who had previously converted to Islam for the purpose of marriage.
	There are no anti-conversion laws in Indonesian civil law. The constitution of Indonesia guarantees freedom of religion.
	There are anti-conversion laws in India. However, to date, nobody has raised with us specific cases of abuse, where anti-conversion laws have been used to prevent someone from willingly changing their religion.
	There is no anti-conversion legislation in Pakistan, although converts from Islam to other religions are subject to various social pressures and harassment and the blasphemy laws are often abused in this context.
	The Government, along with our EU partners, follow closely developments in states where anti-conversion laws exist. We condemn all instances where individuals are persecuted because of their faith or belief, wherever they happen and whatever the religion of the individual or group concerned. We urge all states to pursue laws and practices which foster tolerance and mutual respect and to protect religious minorities from discrimination.
	The Malaysian Federal Constitution was amended in 2001 to provide against discrimination on grounds of gender.
	The Malaysian Government ratified Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1995 and presented their first report to the CEDAW committee earlier this year. There are concerns that the rights of women in divorce and inheritance are not equal to those of men in the Shari'a Courts. There are also concerns that the proposed new Islamic Family Law Act will do little to alleviate this, with a widespread perception that it is even more detrimental to the status of Muslim women than existing laws, including making polygamy easier. However, the Government are re-examining the bill following concerns by non-governmental organisations and are consulting women's groups on the revision.
	The Indonesian Government, through the Ministry of Women's Affairs, are actively working to increase the participation of women. In general, women play a significant and growing role in Indonesian society.
	In India, there is increasing awareness of women's rights issues. The Government are working with a number of organisations, including the National Commission for Women, to highlight and address these issues. One example includes a sponsored visit to the UK earlier this year by the chairperson of the National Commission for Women.
	We welcome the passing of the Women's Protection Bill in Pakistan, which marks a significant step forward on the "enlightened moderation" agenda. We will follow with interest the progress of further proposed reforms to improve women's rights.

China

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to  (a) the EU and  (b) her counterpart in Beijing on China's fulfilment of its World Trade Organisation commitments.

Ian McCartney: We want to encourage China to act as a responsible member of the international community and support its closer integration into the international system, including through multilateral institutions such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO). To that end, Ministers raise WTO issues regularly in bilaterals with their Chinese counterparts, as indeed I did in July in my visit to China. Most recently, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry visited China from 26 to 30 November. He emphasised the need for China to play an active role in the current WTO round and to continue opening up its markets.
	The WTO is an important pillar of the multilateral system and we encourage all WTO members to abide by their WTO obligations. At the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council on 11 to 12 December, EU Foreign Ministers adopted conclusions welcoming the Commission Communication "EU-China: Closer Partners, Growing Responsibilities" and the Commission working paper "Competition and Partnership". The Commission documents stress the mutual benefits of enhanced trade and economic relations between the EU and China, and the importance of China fully implementing its WTO obligations. The UK worked with other member states to ensure that the Conclusions reflect our position.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make representations to the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for the release of Marie Therese Nlandu detained on terrorism charges after election to the DRC Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: Our ambassador in Kinshasa has spoken to the Interior Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo and advisers to President Kabila on several occasions regarding the detention of Marie Therese Nlandu. We and European partners raised our concerns that Mme Nlandu's human rights, particularly her access to legal representation, were not being respected.
	Subsequently Mme Nlandu was granted access to a lawyer and has now been charged with several offences and is due to stand trial. We have pressed that her case be dealt with fairly and quickly. We will continue to monitor her situation and treatment.

Departmental Annual Report

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the purpose was of the expenditure denoted in relation to  (a) Reuniting Europe, Table 15 and  (b) Universal Postal Union, Table 18 of her Department's 2006 annual report.

Geoff Hoon: The Reuniting Europe Programme supports EU enlargement. The programme funds projects in candidate countries, the Western Balkans and the European neighbourhood, with a particular focus on improving governance, judicial reform, tackling corruption and encouraging economic growth. The programme supports the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Strategic Priority 4—building an effective and globally competitive EU in a secure neighbourhood.
	The UK is one of the five major financial contributors towards the work of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), paying £960,000 in 2005. The UPU sets the standards and rules for international mail exchanges and makes recommendations aimed to stimulate growth in mail volumes and improve the quality of service for customers. It is the primary forum for co-operation between postal-sector players worldwide, and fulfils advisory, mediation and liaison roles, as well as providing technical assistance where required. UPU activities are funded jointly by the 191 member states. The UK contribution to the UPU reflects the importance we accord to the international conveyance of mail within the context of a universal postal service obligation.

Engagements

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what official meetings were held by the Minister for State for the Middle East during his recent visit to Washington; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: My hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Middle East (Dr. Howells) had meetings with senior officials from the United States State Department, Department of Defense and National Security Council and participated in a lunchtime discussion on Afghanistan at the United States Institute of Peace. He also met Senator Carl Levin, Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Discussions covered areas of mutual interest including Afghanistan.

Ethiopia

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the prospects of the Government of Ethiopia handing back the offices of the Ethiopian Bible Society to their original owner.

Kim Howells: We are aware of this property dispute and our ambassador in Addis Ababa raised this issue with the Mayor of Addis Ababa recently. We will continue to make appropriate representations but this is a private matter which we hope can be resolved through negotiation with the relevant Ethiopian Government agencies.

Ethiopia

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Ethiopian Government about political violence and intimidation.

Kim Howells: Our ambassador in Addis Ababa and embassy officials have frequent discussions with Ethiopian Government officials and Prime Minister Meles, most recently on 25 November, about the internal political situation, the detention of opposition leaders and civil rights. We continue to urge the Government of Ethiopia, and opposition, to exercise restraint, return to inclusive peaceful dialogue and continue the democratisation process.
	But ongoing sporadic violence in rural areas of Ethiopia demonstrates the continuing political and social divisions in the community. We will continue to raise these matters bilaterally and together with EU partners, through the article 8 dialogue.

Iraq

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which officials in her Department have given evidence to the Iraq policy review processes conducted in the United States by the  (a) Iraq Study Group,  (b) National Security Council and  (c) Pentagon; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: Our ambassadors in Washington and Baghdad held discussions with the Iraq Study Group in the course of its work.
	The US Administration is currently conducting its own internal review of US policy. No Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have given evidence to the National Security Council or the Pentagon. To our knowledge, they are not formally 'taking evidence' from anyone, but we are in constant dialogue with US officials about Iraqin Washington, Baghdad and elsewhere.

Iraq

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a formal review of UK policy in Iraq is taking place within the Foreign Office; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The Government keep their policy on Iraq under constant review, above all in response to events on the ground and the views of the sovereign Government of Iraq. I set out our strategy to the House on 22 November 2006 in the course of the debate on the Queen's Speech,  Official Report, columns 548-58. There will be a further opportunity for the House to address the issue in next month's debate on Iraq and the Middle East.

Lebanon

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has received from her Israeli counterpart on the impact of the current political instability in Lebanon on the implementation of UNSCR 1701.

Margaret Beckett: I have discussed with my Israeli counterpart the situation in Lebanon. Israel's concerns about the need for full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701 are well known. Israel's Foreign Minister made clear, when visiting the UK on 21 November, that Israel shares the UK view that the democratically elected Government in Lebanon should be able to exercise sole authority throughout the country, and parties in Lebanon should co-operate with the Government to that end.

Lebanon

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the current political instability in Lebanon on the implementation of UNSCR 1701; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: In a letter to the Security Council dated 1 December, reporting on the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701, the UN Secretary-General has noted that the military and security situation in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon's area of operation has further stabilised. The cessation of hostilities continues and there have been no serious incidents or confrontations.
	The UN Secretary-General also reported that in parallel with the withdrawal of Israeli forces, Lebanese troops in co-ordination with the UN Interim Force, have deployed throughout the south of Lebanon in areas vacated by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). Liaison and co-ordination between the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, the Lebanese armed forces and the IDF has been very effective in addressing military and security issues.
	The Government of Lebanon have a number of important tasks under UN Security Council resolution 1701. Clearly, domestic political stability will be required to continue to carry out these tasks. We have urged all parties in Lebanon to co-operate with the elected Government in seeking the stability that Lebanon needs to secure its future.

Lebanon

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken in Southern Lebanon on the disarmament of Hezbollah in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701; and what role the Lebanese armed forces have played in this respect.

Margaret Beckett: The UN Secretary-General, in his letter of 1 December to the Security Council reporting on implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, said that liaison and co-ordination between the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, the Lebanese armed forces and the Israeli Defence Force has been very effective in addressing military and security issues within southern Lebanon. The Lebanese armed forces have confiscated some weapons belonging to Hezbollah.

Lebanon

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2006,  Official Report, column 473W, on Lebanon, which parties are represented on the informal co-ordination group in Beirut.

Margaret Beckett: The informal nature of the coordination group is such that it has no fixed membership. In addition to the UK, the United States, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Denmark and the delegation of the European Commission have attended meetings or asked to be informed of the group's work so as to help them target their own support to Lebanon's security sector. Group members have encouraged participation from other countriesEuropean, non-European and Arabengaged in or considering assistance to this sector.

Madagascar

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation the UK has in Madagascar.

Ian McCartney: UK diplomatic links with Madagascar are conducted through a non-resident ambassador based in Port Louis, Mauritius, and an Honorary Consul based in Antananarivo (we are currently seeking accreditation for these officials), and through contact with the Malagasy embassy in London.

Madagascar

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she plans to reopen an embassy in Madagascar following the decision of the Madagascan authorities to open an embassy in London.

Ian McCartney: We have no plans to reopen our embassy in Madagascar.

Middle East

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions her Department plans to hold with  (a) Iraq,  (b) Jordan and  (c) Libya on establishing British Army bases there on long-term leases.

Kim Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no plans to hold talks with Iraq, Jordan and Libya on establishing British army bases on long-term leases.

North Korea (Nuclear Capability)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the nuclear capability of the Democratic Republic of North Korea; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) claims to have reprocessed the 8,000 spent fuel rods removed from the 25 megawatt reactor at Yongbyon in 1994. If these claims are true, the DPRK could have extracted sufficient plutonium for up to five nuclear warheads from this spent fuel.
	North Korea's partially successful nuclear test on 9 October has added to our concerns over its nuclear programme. Their actions jeopardise regional stability in north-east Asia and pose a clear threat to international peace and security. The measures set out in UN Security Council Resolution 1718 send a clear message that the international community will not tolerate acts of this nature.
	We continue to believe the DPRK is pursuing efforts towards production of highly enriched uranium (HEU), based on centrifuge enrichment technology which the Pakistani scientist AQ Khan has admitted supplying to the DPRK. But we have no information on how successful these attempts to produce HEU have been.

Palestine

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have made representations to the Israeli authorities on the effect of  (a) the Annexation Wall and  (b) the failure to renew temporary access permits for staff and students on the future of the Arab Orphan School in Atarot, East Jerusalem.

Kim Howells: We have not made any representations to the Israeli Government about this issue. However, during his visit to the region on 11 to 13 December, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development raised our concerns about the barrier with Israeli Foreign Minister Livni.
	We are concerned at the restrictions on freedom of movement in the occupied territories. We understand the current difficulties that Palestinian students are facing to enter Israel in order to continue their education. On 19 December the Israeli Supreme Court gave the Israeli Government 60 days to determine clear criteria to grant Palestinian students special permits to allow them to enter Israel for a period of over six months.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many parliamentary written questions her Department received in each parliamentary session since 2001; and how many of these questions  (a) were not answered because of disproportionate cost,  (b) were not answered,  (c) received answers referring back to a previous answer (i) asked by the hon. Member and (ii) asked by another hon. Member and  (d) were grouped together for answer.

Margaret Beckett: This information is not held centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost. I can however provide (in the table) a breakdown of the number of questions answered in each year; the number of ordinary written questions answered on time; and the number of named day questions answered on the allocated day.
	
		
			  Parliamentary Session  Total number of ordinary written questions  Total number of ordinary written questions answered within one week  Total number of named day questions  Total number of named day questions answered on allocated day 
			 2001-02 2,379 1,776 1,043 854 
			 2002-03 2,779 2,102 591 440 
			 2003-04 2,508 1,954 548 386 
			 2004-05 1,592 827 323 183 
			 2005-06 4,248 3,460 952 723 
			 2006-07 (to date) 254 242 68 59

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what target her Department has for the maximum acceptable amount of time to answer parliamentary written questions; and what percentage of parliamentary answers met that target in each parliamentary session since 2001.

Margaret Beckett: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) places great importance on parliamentary questions and undertakes to answer all questions promptly. FCO Ministers and officials endeavour to answer named day questions on the allocated day and ordinary written questions within one week. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him today (UIN 107462).

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions in the past three years her Department  (a) initiated and  (b) attended, when called by another Department, handling strategy meetings to deal with written parliamentary questions tabled by the hon. Member for Thurrock.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 12 December 2006
	My Department has neither initiated, nor been invited to attend, handling strategy meetings to deal with written parliamentary questions tabled by my hon. Friend.

Somalia

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her  (a) EU and  (b) US counterparts on ways to strengthen the UN arms embargo against Somalia; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: We hold regular talks with our EU and Security Council partners, including the US. We are considering ways to strengthen the arms embargo and improve its implementation. We have urged all parties inside Somalia and neighbouring states to respect the arms embargo and do nothing to provoke violence in Somalia. UN Security Council Resolution 1725, unanimously adopted on 6 December 2006, emphasised the continued contribution made to Somalia's peace and security by the arms embargo and demanded that all member states fully comply with it.

Somalia

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK has offered any support to the forthcoming African Union protection and training mission to Somalia.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs (Mr. McCartney) gave to the hon. Member for Cotswold (Mr. Clifton-Brown) on 19 December 2006,  Official Report, column 1801W.

Somalia

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what international agreement there is on the scale of the African Union protection and training mission to Somalia mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 1725 (2006); and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: Work on planning the mission is ongoing. UN Security Council Resolution 1725 requested the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Commission of the African Union and the secretariat of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, to report on the implementation of the mandate within 30 days.

Sudan

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to work with European partners to introduce targeted sanctions on perpetrators of violence in Darfur.

Kim Howells: The UK is a leading proponent of targeted measures, through both the EU and the UN Security Council, to help bring the conflict in Darfur to an end. The EU has had an arms embargo on Sudan in place since 1994. We will support further EU action to help resolve the crisis in Darfur.
	UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1591 imposed targeted sanctions, an assets freeze and a travel ban, on individuals deemed to be obstructing the peace process or who commit atrocities in Darfur. UNSCR 1672 applied targeted sanctions to four individuals from all sides. We have made clear that more names will follow.

Sudan

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government have had with  (a) the US Administration and  (b) European partners on implementation of (i) a no-fly zone over Darfur, (ii) targeted sanctions against perpetrators of the violence in Darfur and (iii) increasing areas in which humanitarian programmes may be operated in Darfur.

Kim Howells: We maintain a regular dialogue, at the highest level, with the US and with European partners on Darfur. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised Darfur with President Bush during his recent visit to Washington, and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Darfur with European counterparts during the European Council on 14 and 15 December.
	We are pressing Sudan to implement the decisions of the recent meetings in Addis Ababa and Abuja, including accepting UN assistance for the AU force, maintaining the ceasefire and renewing its political dialogue with the rebels. The Government of Sudan should be clear that they have a choice between co-operating in this way or facing tougher measures if they do not. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said, a no-fly zone is one of the options available to the international community should the Government of Sudan fail to co-operate.
	We also continue to look at the case for designating further individuals to targeted sanctions under UN Security Council Resolution 1591.
	We continue to make clear to the Government of Sudan that they must co-operate in full with the humanitarian effort in Darfur. We welcome the recent extension of the visa moratorium for all UN and non-governmental organisation agencies operating in Darfur.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her Department's policy is on the proposal for a no-fly zone in Sudan.

Kim Howells: We are pressing Sudan to implement the decisions of the recent meetings in Addis Ababa and Abuja, including accepting UN assistance for the African Union force, maintaining the ceasefire and renewing its political dialogue with the rebels. The Government of Sudan should be clear that they have a choice between co-operating in this way or facing tougher measures if they do not. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said, a no-fly zone is one of the options available to the international community should the Government of Sudan fail to co-operate.

Sudan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the United Nations Human Rights Council mission to Darfur; what representations she has made to UN member states on Sudanese Government co-operation; and what reports she has received from  (a) the UK ambassador to the UN and  (b) the British embassy, Khartoum.

Kim Howells: The Government welcome the holding of the UN Human Rights Council's special session on Darfur on 12 and 13 December and its decision to send an expert human rights mission to Darfur. The Sudanese Government must give the mission their full cooperation. The mission will report back to the Human Rights Council in March.
	The UK worked hard throughout the recent special session to ensure the agreement of other members of the Human Rights Council and of the UN on the need to tackle effectively human rights violations in Darfur. Our ambassador in Khartoum regularly raises our human rights concerns with the Sudanese Government. We are in constant touch with our missions to the UN in New York and Geneva.

Sudan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received from the UN Mission in Sudan on  (a) kidnapping of AMIS military personnel and  (b) the hijacking of vehicles belonging to (i) African Union and (ii) non-governmental organisations.

Kim Howells: We have received numerous reports of attacks against African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) personnel in Darfur including, most recently, one report of kidnapping of AMIS personnel last week which has now been resolved. We have also received reports of attacks against AMIS vehicles by both sides in the conflict. AMIS bases were also threatened by groups of civilians recently in both El Fasher and El Geneinah. It has been reported that in the past four months alone there have been 29 humanitarian vehicles hijacked in Darfur. There have also been frequent hijackings of non-governmental organisation vehicles.
	We utterly condemn recent attacks on civilians, on AMIS personnel and on aid workers in Darfur. We are calling on both the Government of Sudan and the rebels to stop fighting immediately and resume a political dialogue aimed at bringing the non-signatories into the Darfur Peace Agreement. We are also urging the Sudanese Government to take immediate steps to implement the commitments they made in Addis Ababa on 16 November.

Sudan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the current security situation at El Fasher.

Kim Howells: There were clashes in El Fasher on 4 December and in the following days between Arab militia and rebels connected with Minni Minawi, resulting in fatalities on both sides. The UN evacuated its non-essential staff and those of non-governmental organisations in the town. The situation was unstable for several days following these clashes, with sporadic shooting especially at night and some robbery and harassment in the market. However, in the last few days a large number of militia have left the town, the Government of Sudan has increased their patrolling and the situation is now calm.

Sudan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcomes were of the recent meeting of the Tripartite Mechanism in Khartoum; and what reports she has received on plans to implement the UN support package to AMIS.

Kim Howells: The joint UN/African Union (AU)/Sudanese Government Tripartite Mechanism is awaiting the appointment of a Sudanese Government representative and has not yet been formalised. However, there was a meeting between the parties involved last week.
	We are in touch with the AU, the UN and with the Sudanese Government about implementation of UN support for the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS), which is currently focused on implementing the Light Support Package, as set out in the conclusions of the High Level meeting on Darfur held in Addis Ababa on 16 November. It is crucial that AMIS is bolstered by the phased UN support package agreed by the AU Peace and Security Council if it is to be effective in promoting peace and stability in Darfur. We will continue to press the Government of Sudan to agree to this, urge our international partners to do the same and go on providing support to AMIS.

Sudan

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Government policy is on the proposed introduction of a no-fly zone over Darfur.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) today (UIN 110243).

Terrorism (Victims)

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role her Department has in the ongoing establishment of the charitable fund to help British victims of terrorism; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to him and my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock Chase (Dr. Wright) by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Mr. Woodward) on 11 December 2006,  Official Report, column 816W.
	Work on establishing the fund is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tessa Jowell). Officials at both our Departments have worked closely together on the issue, and I look forward to her announcement of its launch during the coming months.

WMD Dossier

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will publish the first draft of the Weapons of Mass Destruction dossier authored by John Williams, then Director of News in her Department, on 9 September 2002.

Margaret Beckett: There are no plans for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to publish the draft document written by John Williams.

Zimbabwe (Refugees)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the number of refugees from Zimbabwe entering  (a) Botswana,  (b) the Republic of South Africa,  (c) Mozambique and  (d) Zambia in the last 12 months.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, then Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs on 28 February 2006,  Official Report, column 636W. It is clear that, as the situation in Zimbabwe declines, the exodus of Zimbabweans into the region continues. It is increasingly a cause of concern for neighbouring countries.

TRANSPORT

Car Sharing

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what information he holds on  (a) local authority and  (b) business car sharing schemes in (i) England, (ii) the North East and (iii) Gateshead, East and Washington, West; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps are being taken by his Department  (a) to encourage the establishment of and  (b) to support existing car sharing schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Through the Local Transport Planning system and other initiatives, the Department encourages local authorities to set up authority-wide car share schemes and to promote car sharing as part of site specific workplace travel plans.
	The Department also publishes a range of best practice guidance on workplace and school travel planning which covers, car share schemes, and in 2005 published specific guidance on car share schemes Making Car Sharing and Car Clubs Work.
	Government initiatives such as requiring travel plans for new developments and the School Travel Initiative are increasing the number of workplaces and schools with travel plans.
	The Highways Agency are also promoting workplace travel plans for sites near the strategic road network and are developing proposals to pilot the use of dedicated car share lanes on the M62 and M1.
	Car share schemes are being set up nationally by commercial operators, by local authorities for their staff or the wider public and by businesses, schools and other organisations as stand-alone initiatives or as part of a travel plan. The Department does not collect or hold information on the number and location of car sharing schemes, therefore, which are being operated across the country.
	Gateshead Council's published material on its travel plan includes car sharing and the MetroCentre in Gateshead run a car share scheme for people employed there.

Consultancy Fees

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which 10 consultancy fees charged to his Department since May 1997 were the most expensive.

Gillian Merron: Individual fees are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the following table shows the 10 highest value consultancy contracts in place since the Department was created in May 2002.
	
		
			  Contractor  Contract title/description 
			 National Centre for Social Research The National Travel Survey 
			 Ove Arup, KPMG LLP, Halcrow Group, Babtie Group, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Robson Rhodes and Ernst and Young To assist the Department on its policy, programme and projects with particular regard to providing improved commercial skills, value for money and delivery outcomes 
			 Citigroup Project ArielCorporate finance advice in relation to Network Rail financing 
			 Atos Origin IT Services UK Ltd. Transport Direct PortalConsultancy element 
			 AEA Technology PLC Delivery of the National Cycling Strategy Board for England's annual work programme 
			 Mott MacDonalds High Speed Trains 2Project management 
			 CMC Partnership (UK) Ltd. Consultancy Framework for DVLA 
			 TRL and Loughborough University On the spot accident data collection Phase 3 
			 PA Consulting Group Road Information FrameworkProgramme and Project Management Services 
			 Linklaters Cross RailSpecialist Legal Adviser

Darlington

Alan Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what approvals his Department has given for expenditure in Darlington since 1997.

Gillian Merron: Darlington has benefited greatly since 1997 from Government support for its transport needs.
	Between 1997 and March 2006 Darlington borough council received around 22.2 million in block grant for capital investment for its local transport plans. An assessment of Darlington's second Local Transport Plan running until 2011 and a further funding package of support was published in a written statement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 18 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 132-33WS.
	In April 2004, Darlington was allocated 3.24 million over five years as a Sustainable Travel Town. In October 2005 the borough was awarded Cycling Demonstration Town status and allocated 1.5 million over three calendar years.
	In the whole of the North East region a total of 457 million has been set aside over the next 10 years for local authority major schemes and Highways Agency schemes of regional importance.
	In the advice from the North East to Government on the allocation of these funds, a 33 million scheme to improve the bus network across the Tees Valley, including Darlington, was identified as a priority. The Government have not yet approved this scheme but have confirmed that it would expect it to be added to the regional programme subject to the promoters producing a satisfactory business case that demonstrates value for money and deliverability.
	Darlington has benefited from rail and trunk road improvements both across the North East and nationally, but funding for these is neither recorded nor allocated on an individual transport authority level.
	The borough has also received very substantial central funding through revenue support grant. This is not allocated by the Government between individual council services.

Departmental Staff

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many temporary employees are contracted to work for his Department; what the total annual salary bill is for such employees; and what the figures were in 1997.

Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport was formed in May 2002. The temporary employees currently contracted to work in the Department and its agencies are shown in the following table. Where the information is available the table also shows the annual salary bill for the Department and its agencies for the period 2005-06 for such employees.
	
		
			   Number of temporary workers contracted to work as at 30 November 2006  Annual salary bill for such employees for 2005-06 () 
			 Department for Transport (c) 75 (1) 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency (2) (2) 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 2 (2) 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (3) (3) 
			 Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency 25 278,784 
			 Highways Agency 173.5 5,465,642 
			 Driving Standards Agency 117 80,472 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency 0 16,714 
			 (1 )The information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost  (2) No information available.  (3) The Annual Report provides figures for agency/consultancy support.

Eddington Report

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the compliance of out-of-town grocery shopping with the recent Eddington report on transport.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 19 December 2006
	Planning Policy Guidance 13 on planning and transport gives a clear preference for locating new retail development in town centre sites first, followed by edge of centre sites and only then out of centre. This is part of a framework of measures aiming to reduce the need to travel and promote more sustainable transport choices, thereby tackling urban congestion. Government policy on out-of-town shopping is therefore consistent with the Eddington study, which identifies this as a priority.

HEALTH

A and E Admissions

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what projections she has made of the number of accident and emergency admissions at Worthing hospital in each of the next five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Acinetobacter

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of infection with the bacteria Acinetobacter there were in the NHS in  (a) 2003,  (b) 2004 and  (c) 2005, broken down by NHS trust.

Andy Burnham: Microbiology laboratories are invited to report cases of Acinetobacter bloodstream infections to the Health Protection Agency. Data are not available by trust.
	The numbers of Acinetobacter bloodstream infections in England, Wales and Northern Ireland reported in the past three years are shown in the table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003 1,130 
			 2004 1,117 
			 2005 1,127 
			  Notes:  1. Acinetobacter spp bacteraemia in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland: 2001 to 2005 Communicable Disease Report (CDR) Weekly2006; 16 (42) 19 October 2006.  2. http://www.hpa.org.uk/cdr/archives/2006/cdr4206.pdf   Source:  Health Protection Agency.

Acquired Brain Injuries

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding her Department provides for individuals with acquired brain injuries.

Andy Burnham: The Department does not allocate funding on the basis of individual medical conditions. It is a matter for primary care trusts (PCTs) to decide how funding allocated to them should be used to provide services for their local population.

Acyl CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to introduce screening for medium chain acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency.

Ivan Lewis: The United Kingdom national screening committee has concluded that the evidence, including that produced from the pilots in England so far, supports the introduction of newborn screening for this condition in principle, but is undertaking further work to support possible implementation.

Admittance Decisions

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to table 63a on page Ev 169 of her Department's Memorandum to the Health Committee, HC 1692-i, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the trend in the number of people removed from a decision to admit;
	(2)  pursuant to table 63b on page Ev 169 of her Department's Memorandum to the Health Committee, HC 1692-i, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the trend in the number of people who  (a) self-defer and  (b) are suspended from the waiting list;
	(3)  pursuant to table 68 on page Ev 178 of her Department's Memorandum to the Health Committee, HC 1692-i, what assessment she has made of the trend in the column 'other referrals to first outpatient appointment (consultant led)'.

Andy Burnham: The number of patients removed from waiting lists rose steadily throughout the 1990s, peaking in 1999 then falling and stabilising. The waiting list rules are clear that patients should be removed from lists if they are no longer waiting or are unavailable for treatment. Patients should also be removed from a provider's list when they are transferred to a different provider for treatment.
	The trends in self-deferrals and suspensions closely follow the trend in the inpatient waiting list. The list peaked in 1998, as did self-deferrals, with suspensions peaking in 1999. The reductions in recent years reflect improved management by the National Health Service, which has contributed to the smaller waiting lists and faster times that patients experience today.
	The unusually high rates of growth in other referrals, those not from general practitioners or general dental practitioners, in the first three years of the period are likely to reflect improvements in data quality resulting from better recording of this type of activity.
	Since 1998-99 the average growth in other referrals is 6 per cent. This growth may be explained by the increasing specialisation of consultants, with more patients being referred from consultant to consultant, and by increases in referrals to consultants from the likes of physiotherapists.

Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what moneys were attached to the alcohol harm reduction strategy  (a) at its inception and  (b) for the 2006-07 financial year; and what moneys have been announced for the future strategy.

Caroline Flint: The health commitments in the alcohol harm reduction strategy for England were reinforced by the Choosing Health White Paper. As with other health commitments, primary care trusts (PCTs), working in partnership with other local agencies, are responsible for assessing local need and for funding service provision. The Department has supported primary care trusts through guidance on local programmes of improvement, published in November 2005.
	The Department is spending 1.7 million in 2006-07 on the Know your Limits campaign, which seeks to prevent binge drinking. The Home Office is contributing additional funding.
	The Department plans to spend 1.5 million in 2006-07 and 1.7 million from 2007-08 on trailblazer projects to develop interventions and brief advice for hazardous and harmful drinkers in primary care, accident and emergency, and criminal justice settings.
	We estimate that 217 million was spent on alcohol treatment by PCTs and local authorities in 2003-04.
	We have previously announced that 15 million has been included in PCTs' general allocations from 2007-08 to help improve local arrangements for commissioning and delivering alcohol interventions.
	Spending on prevention of alcohol-related disorder is a matter for the Home Office. Funding for school and college-based education is a matter for the Department for Education and Skills.

Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on advertising the risks associated with alcohol addiction in each year since 1997.

Caroline Flint: There has been no major campaign expenditure on safe alcohol consumption in the financial years 1997 to 2005, so costs given relate to literature and website activity only. However, the Department and Home Office developed a joint alcohol communications campaign in October 2006. The Department is contributing 2 million to the cost of this campaign.
	We have financial information on safe alcohol consumption expenditure only for the last four years, as figures pre-2002-03 were held on an old financial system which is no longer accessible.
	
		
			   Alcohol campaign ( million) 
			 2002-03 0.097 
			 2003-04 0.045 
			 2004-05 0.342 
			 2005-06 0.064

Alimta

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will take steps to ensure that the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence's decision about Alimta is communicated to mesothelioma sufferers as soon as it is known;
	(2)  when the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence is expected to reach its decision on whether Alimta should be approved for use in the NHS.

Andy Burnham: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) announced on 19 December 2006 that the appeals lodged against NICE's appraisal of pemetrexed disodium (Alimta) for the treatment of mesothelioma had been upheld. The appraisal will be returned to NICE's Appraisal Committee for further work. Final guidance is now expected later in 2007 and NICE will ensure that this is widely publicised.

Ambulance Services

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) average and  (b) target response time is for ambulance attendance at the scene of an incident following a 999 call.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not collect information on the average response times to emergency calls by national health service ambulance trusts. The Department only centrally collects data, from NHS ambulance trusts, which allows response time standards to be monitored. The response time standards are as follows:
	Category A / presenting conditions which may be immediately life threatening and which should be responded to within 8 minutes irrespective of location in 75 per cent. of cases. A fully equipped ambulance should attend incidents classified as category A within 19 minutes of a request being made for transport, 95 per cent. of the time;
	Category B / presenting conditions which though serious are not immediately life threatening and should be responded to within 19 minutes in 95 per cent. of cases;
	Category C / presenting conditions which are not immediately serious or life threateningsince 1 October 2004 local NHS organisations have had responsibility for managing and monitoring the ways in which local services respond to these calls,
	and
	GP Urgent Calls / as specified by a GPto receive a response at scene within 15 minutes of the time stipulated by the GP, 95 per cent. of the time.
	The data that the Department collects on ambulance response times are published on an annual basis in the statistical bulletin, Ambulance services, England. The most recent data are available in the Library and at
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/ambulanceserv06

Asthma

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide free prescriptions to chronic asthmatics.

Andy Burnham: The Government have announced that they will undertake a review of prescription charges and report the outcome of this review by the summer recess 2007. This review will include options to:
	revising the list of medical exemptions to prescription charges;
	introducing a flat rate prescription charge with no exemptions; and
	basing exemption to prescription charges solely on income.
	These options will be considered on the basis that any changes to prescription charge exemptions, if implemented, are cost-neutral for the national health service.

Blue Badges

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts pay general practitioners for completing blue badge application forms.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally.
	The completion of 'blue badge' reports, and any associated examination, is not part of the work that a primary medical services contractor is required to do as part of their contractual arrangements with the primary care trust.

Cancer Treatment

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to encourage the  (a) cancer networks,  (b) strategic health authorities and  (c) work force development directorate to implement National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on specialist nurses.

Rosie Winterton: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published a series of guidance for the national health service, setting out recommendations on how services should be arranged for patients with cancer. This series of guidance is called improving outcomes guidance (IOG) and covers each main tumour type.
	The IOG series sets out that clinical nurse specialists should be core members of the expert teams that co-ordinate care for cancer patients.
	It is for cancer networks to work in partnership with strategic health authorities and work force development directorates to assess, plan and review their work force needs and the education and training of all staff, including specialist nurses, linked to local and national priorities for cancer, including implementation of NICE improving outcomes guidance.

Carbon Credits

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on carbon credits by the NHS in the last year.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is not colleted centrally.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is being undertaken by her Department into the efficacy of the ResQPOD device as an aid to cardiopulmonary resuscitation; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: None directly, although a study currently being undertaken by the South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust refers to the ResQPOD device(1). Details can be found on the National Research Register at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/research.
	A report published in 2005 of a study by Staffordshire Ambulance Trust on the use of an impedance threshold device(2) can be found on PubMed at:
	www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez.
	(1) Outcome from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a pilot randomised controlled trial comparing survival after standard or inspiratory impedance threshold values augmented cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
	(2) Use of an impedance threshold device improves short-term outcomes following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Carisoprodol

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency expects to publish its updated assessment on carisoprodol;
	(2)  when the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency expects to update the Patient Information Leaflet for carisoprodol;
	(3)  when her Department was first notified of possible side effects of carisoprodol linked to metabolism;
	(4)  what guidelines she issues on the length of time the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency should take to re-evaluate a drug where concerns have been raised about it;
	(5)  how many patients have reported side effects from using carisoprodol not listed on the patient information leaflet;
	(6)  what research  (a) her Department and  (b) the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has commissioned on the side effects of carisoprodol.

Andy Burnham: Carisoprodol, brand name Carisoma, is a muscle relaxant authorised as an add-on therapy to the symptomatic treatment of acute musculoskeletal disorders associated with muscle spasm. Clinical trials carried out by the marketing authorisation holder for carisoprodol were evaluated at the time of licensing to ensure that it met appropriate standards of safety, quality and efficacy to justify its use as a muscle relaxant. Full guidance on prescribing and the use of carisoprodol, including possible side- effects, is provided in the product information for prescribers, the Summary of Product Characteristics, and the patient information leaflet.
	Since the marketing of carisoprodol, although no formal research has been commissioned, the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have kept under review its safety in routine clinical practice.
	Up to 29 November 2005, a total of 31 reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) have been received in association with carisoprodol. The majority of these (28 out of 31 reports) were received prior to 1982. Of the 31 reports, a total of 20 reports describe suspected side-effects from using carisoprodol that are not listed in the patient information leaflet. Urticaria, three reports, and chills, two reports, are the only unlisted suspected side-effects associated with carisoprodol reported in more than one patient. It is important to note that a report of a suspected ADR does not necessarily mean that the drug caused it.
	In June 2005 the MHRA was alerted to concerns about the effect that an individual's genetic makeup may have on how they metabolise carisoprodol and that this may have implications for the likelihood of experiencing potential side-effects associated with its use. Following a review of the available data, the Summary of Product Characteristics and the patient Information leaflet have been updated to reflect these new data and to add a warning that patients who are so called poor metabolisers for a specific enzyme, Cytochrome 2C19, involved in the metabolism of carisoprodol may be at an increased risk of certain side-effects such as drowsiness.
	In parallel with this action, the overall balance of risks and benefits of carisoprodol has been raised at European level. The MHRA in conjunction with its European counterparts is currently re-evaluating the risk and benefits of carisoprodol and considering what implications this may have for its clinical use. As soon as the European review is completed the results will be made publicly available.
	The use of carisoprodol in the UK is limited and the British National Formulary, a joint publication of the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, advises doctors that carisoprodol may not be considered as a drug of first choice although its use may be justifiable in certain circumstances.
	The length of time for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to re-evaluate a drug by completing of a risk: benefit review depends on the public health impact of the safety or efficacy concerns and is commensurate with the need for a thorough evaluation of the available data.

Cervical Cancer

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to introduce a vaccination programme against the human papilloma virus subtypes responsible for causing cervical cancer.

Rosie Winterton: The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation is currently considering the evidence on human papilloma virus vaccines. It will provide advice to Ministers and once received, Ministers will consider the advice.

Child Health Interim Application

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the status of the Child Health Interim Application; whether it is still being supported by manual systems; and whether it is able to issue COVER reports.

Caroline Flint: The Child Health Interim Application (CHIA) is currently live in 10 primary care trusts (PCTs) in the London area. Supporting manual systems continue to operate for some aspects of the system's functionality, which remain under development. Software to enable PCTs to generate COVER reports from the live system is expected to be deployed into the live system in April 2007. Meanwhile, COVER reports for each PCT, using live CHIA data, are being produced centrally on a quarterly basis in line with Health Protection Agency submission requirements. However, due to a backlog of data, which have not yet been loaded on to the CHIA system, some PCTs have requested their data are not published until local data quality queries have been addressed.
	Successful deployments of child health systems by the national programme for information technology have already taken place in 48 PCTs across the programme's north-east and eastern cluster areas. The system enables production of the required statutory reports, and a robust data migration and checking procedure is in place, ensuring successful migrations of demographic and clinical data to the new system, which provides a fully integrated patient record across primary care. Experience has shown that the key variable around successful implementation and operation is the quality of local record keeping standards and processes.

Childhood Obesity

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will undertake research into the effect of the consumption of fruit juices on excess weight and obesity among schoolchildren.

Caroline Flint: The Department, which is co-ordinating action on obesity, has not commissioned nor has specific plans to commission research on the effects of consumption of different food products on weight gain, excess weight and obesity among schoolchildren.
	The Food Standards Agency is developing a strategy to help consumers achieve energy balance.

Clinical Coding

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the expected cost is of the clinical coding audit programme in 2007-08.

Andy Burnham: The Audit Commission estimated the annual cost of their recommendations for a clinical coding audit programme at 6.7 million per year. This is detailed in Payment by Results assurance framework: Pilot results and recommendations published by the Audit Commission on 7 December 2006, which is available in the Library. The Department is still discussing the final details of the scheme and its scope in 2007-08 with the Audit Commission and it is likely that the final costs will be lower than those contained in the report.

Community Matron Scheme

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the community matron scheme.

Rosie Winterton: A central assessment of the effectiveness of the community matron scheme has not been made. This is because monitoring the effectiveness of programmes of this nature is best done locally, by NHS trusts, working with their partners and stakeholders. However, the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre, was funded to carry out an in-depth evaluation of the Evercare pilot, the precursor to the community matron service. This work enabled important lessons to be incorporated into the setting up of community matrons.

Community Services (Bexley)

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding proposed reductions in NHS community services in the London borough of Bexley.

Andy Burnham: Records show that the Department has received no representations regarding reductions in national health service community services in the London borough of Bexley.

Community Treatment Orders

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 377-78W, on community treatment orders, what she has received so far; what is still awaited; and when she expects to receive the full report.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has received updates on the research into international experiences of community treatment orders. The research has not been completed yet. The Department is awaiting the report of the findings from the researcher and hopes that it will be submitted in the new year.

Compensation Payments

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid in compensation payments by her Department in 2005-06; and what the reason for the payment was in each case.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has made no compensation payments in 2005-06.

Consultant Contracts

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been received as payments for fee paying services by consultants in each NHS hospital trust in each financial year since the implementation of the contract.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected by the Department. The inclusion of fee paying services in job plans and the payments for these is a matter for agreement between employers and consultants.

Continuing Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2006,  Official Report, column 856W, on NHS continuing care, how many people were in receipt of NHS continuing care on 31 March 2006 in each primary care trust in England per  (a) 10,000 weighted heads and  (b) 10,000 unweighted heads.

Ivan Lewis: The information has been placed in the Library.

Continuing Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people who were awarded NHS continuing care funding ceased to receive continuing care following a first review.

Ivan Lewis: Information on the number of people who ceased to receive continuing care following a first review is not held centrally.

Continuing Care

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide direct payments to families to pay for care of relatives who are designated band 1 in the continuing health care package.

Ivan Lewis: No. If a person is assessed as being entitled to national health service fully funded continuing care, the NHS will cover the full cost of the health and personal care package required. It is not possible for any individual to buy NHS care, whether they are using money of their own or money made available to them from the public purse.

Correspondence

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Chairman of the Appointments Commission will write to the hon. Member for Warley as requested on 7 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1321W, on the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Rosie Winterton: I am advised that the Appointments Commission is in receipt of my right hon. Friend's original question and that a response will be sent as soon as possible.

Dacorum Primary Care Trust

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many district nurses were employed by Dacorum Primary Care Trust in each month since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The following table shows the number of community services nurses in the Dacorum PCT area from 2001 to 2005 which is the latest data available as at 30 September each year.
	
		
			  Dacorum primary care trust area total 
			  Headcount 
			 2001 167 
			 2002 135 
			 2003 151 
			 2004 154 
			 2005 176 
			  Note: The data are provided by the PCT. It may be the case that the PCT may have recoded some staff during the specified period.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census

David Southall

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will take steps to prevent Dr. David Southall from working in NHS hospitals;
	(2)  what discussions her Department has had with the University Hospital of North Staffordshire on the employment of Dr. David Southall.

Rosie Winterton: Ministers are not in a position to intervene in the employment of individual clinicians. Decisions on employment are a matter between the employing trust and the clinician.
	It is for the General Medical Council to determine whether a particular doctor is fit to practise.

David Southall

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investigations have taken place in the NHS into the research practices of Dr. David Southall.

Andy Burnham: The Government commissioned a full review of the research arrangements at North Staffordshire hospital in 1999, in response to concerns about how research had been conducted there by Dr. David Southall, among others. The review, chaired by Professor Rod Griffiths, reported in May 2000 and the Government accepted all the recommendations of the Report of a review of the research framework in North Staffordshire Hospital NHS Trust, The Griffiths Report. The report recommended a substantial audit of the use of continuous negative extrathoracic pressure, a research intervention, to see if claims of significant benefit or damage could be substantiated. The findings were published in  The Lancet on 1 April 2006 as Outcome after neonatal continuous negative-pressure ventilation: follow-up assessment by Katherine Telford et al.
	In its capacity as employing organisation of researchers, North Staffordshire Hospital National Health Service Trust made its own internal inquiries in order to inform its employment procedures. The reports of these internal inquiries were not placed in the public domain by the trust.

Dehydration

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has commissioned into the  (a) prevalence,  (b) effects and  (c) causes of dehydration among (i) schoolchildren and (ii) adults.

Andy Burnham: None.

Dementia

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the Government's plan to implement the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guidelines on dementia.

Ivan Lewis: It is for health and social care to implement the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guidelines on dementia.
	The Department is committed to promoting improvements in services for people with dementia and their carers. The guidelines will be very important in supporting improved standards of health and social care for people with dementia and their families. We will be taking a close interest in the development of these services.

Dementia

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what drug treatments are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for the treatment of dementia with Lewy body disease.

Andy Burnham: On 22 November 2006, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) issued a joint clinical guideline on the treatment and care of people with dementia. This made a number of recommendations on pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for symptoms affecting mood and behaviour. It recommends that donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine may be offered to a small number of patients with dementia with Lewy bodies if these symptoms are causing severe distress.

Departmental Commercial Director

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is on the appointments panel for the commercial director of the Department.

Ivan Lewis: The panel will be chaired by Stella Pantelides, Civil Service Commissioner. The other members of the panel will be Hugh Taylor, Acting Permanent Secretary, David Nicholson, NHS Chief Executive, John Oughton, Chief Executive of the Office of Government Commerce, and one other member to be confirmed.

Departmental Equipment

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of her Department's  (a) computers and  (b) laptops were stolen in each of the last nine years; and what the total value was of stolen computers and laptops in this period.

Ivan Lewis: The number of computers and laptops which were stolen or lost and the cost in the period April 1997 to March 2006 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Financial year  Computers  Cost ()  Laptops  Cost () 
			 1997-98 0 0 23 43,098.68 
			 1998-99 2 1,828.00 19 40,068.70 
			 1999-2000 2 1,726.00 18 36,260.35 
			 2000-01 2 1,244.83 23 46,917.62 
			 2001-02 1 821.33 35 62,275.69 
			 2002-03 2 1,882.82 26 40,997.26 
			 2003-04 0 0 34 51,459.53 
			 2004-05 1 800.00 23 32,783.94 
			 2005-06 0 0 18 20,599.97 
			 Total 10 8,302.98 219 374,461.74 
			 Grand total382,764.72

Departmental Finance

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department paid to DHL in each financial year between 1997-98 and 2005-06.

Andy Burnham: The total amounts paid to DHL are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   
			   DHL Express (formally International)  DHL Logistics 
			
			 2002-03 429.16  
			 2003-04 506.86  
			 2004-05 866.03 2,949.03 
			 2005-06   
		
	
	Information for earlier years is archived and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Diabetes

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will ensure that blood glucose testing strips are made available on NHS prescription for insulin-dependent diabetics in all areas.

Rosie Winterton: Blood glucose testing strips are available on the national health service and we have no plans to remove them from NHS prescriptions. Blood glucose testing strips are available free of charge to those people with insulin-dependent diabetes.

Digital Hearing Aids

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will take steps to shorten the waiting times for patients to receive digital hearing aids from the NHS;
	(2)  what recent assessment she has made of the waiting times for patients to receive new digital hearing aids from the NHS.

Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect information centrally on the fitting of digital hearing aids. However, we recognise that waits for audiology services in some parts of the country are unacceptable.
	In order to improve access and reduce waiting times for audiology services, a national action plan is being developed for publication in early 2007.
	In addition to the development of the action plan, the Department has also announced the procurement of up to 300,000 audiology pathways to provide assessment, fitting and follow up.
	Both of these measures will assist in significantly reducing waiting times and will greatly benefit those who receive hearing aids.

Doctors and Nurses

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) doctors and  (b) nurses were employed in Wantage constituency in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The number of doctors and nurses employed in the Wantage constituency is not held centrally.
	Data on the numbers of staff working in the national health service are collected direct from the trusts. These trusts can be comprised of a number of hospital sites in different locations.

Doncaster Royal Infirmary

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for how many babies born at Doncaster Royal Infirmary compensation was paid for brain damage in each year between 1980 and 1989.

Andy Burnham: This information was not collected centrally.

Drug Misuse

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents of drug misuse-related illness have been treated by the NHS in  (a) Greater London and  (b) England in each year since 2000.

Caroline Flint: It is not possible to identify all illnesses treated by the national health service which are due to drug misuse. Illnesses can be caused by or can be affected by drug misuse but we are not able to indicate this with all cases. Drug misuse related illnesses are not defined within one specific hospital diagnosis code.
	National data from codes of primary diagnosis, which indicate the main reason for a patient's admission to hospital related to misuse of alcohol and/or drugs (both legal and illegal), or the results of that abuse and those that relate to maternal and fetal problems due to the use of alcohol and drugs have been placed in Library.
	The following table provides details on the numbers of problematical drug users in structured treatment for 1998-99 and the subsequent years for which data is available.
	
		
			   1998-99  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Number in structured treatment in England 85,000 (1)125,545 (2)160,450 (3)181,390 
			 Numbers in structured treatment in London n/a 22,165 27,692 32,629 
			 (1 )48 per cent. increase on 1998. (2) 89 per cent. increase on 1998, 27 per cent. increase on 2003-04. (3) 113 per cent. increase on 1998, 13 per cent. increase on 2004-05.  Note: The Department introduced a revised and more accurate methodology for counting the numbers in treatment, in October 2004. Figures are not available for the years 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03 although the potential for providing estimates based on data collecting using the earlier methodology is being explored.

Emergency Treatment

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect of the likely reconfiguration of services in West Hertfordshire Acute Hospital Trust on thrombolysis targets.

Ivan Lewis: The national service framework standard states that people suffering from heart attack should receive thrombolytic therapy within 60 minutes of calling for professional help. The Healthcare Commission's target is for each national health service trust to deliver a 10 per cent. increase per year in the proportion of people suffering from a heart attack who receive thrombolysis within 60 minutes of calling for professional help.
	The Department has been informed by NHS East of England that the West Hertfordshire Healthcare Trust does not expect reconfiguration to have an adverse effect on achieving these targets.
	A joint scheme between the ambulance service and the trust's cardiology clinicians has had successful results to date concerning the way in which patients are treated, and where they are taken if they require treatment for thrombolysis. This involves the initiation of treatment and transferral of patients to the appropriate centre, for example Paddington.

Foster Report

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many responses she received from psychotherapists in relation to the Foster Report.

Rosie Winterton: The consultation on the regulation of health professionals closed on 10 November, and we received over 2,000 responses. These responses are now being analysed, and we are unable to provide numbers of respondents by profession until the analysis has been completed. A report on the consultation will be published as soon as possible.

Foundation Trusts

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 30 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 920-21W, on NHS foundation trusts, whether she plans to have any discussions with Monitor on the number of compulsory redundancies made by NHS foundation trusts in the first six months of 2006-07.

Ivan Lewis: Foundation trusts are not required to provide information on the number of compulsory redundancies. There are no plans to review these requirements for work force information with Monitor.

Genito-urinary Clinics

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of attenders at genito-urinary medicine clinics was recorded as not having been given an appointment within two weeks in the August 2006 audit of GUM clinic waiting times by the Health Protection Agency.

Caroline Flint: The August 2006 audit of waiting times for genito-urinary {GUM) clinics, for which data are available showed that 13 per cent. of attendees were offered an appointment within two weeks (0 to 13 days). The percentage of patients that were not seen within two weeks (0 to 13 days) and not offered an earlier appointment is 12 per cent. This compares to 29 per cent. of attenders not seen within two weeks in May 2004. Good progress is being made to our target of access to GUM clinics within 48 hours: the August audit showed that 57 per cent. of patients were seen within 48 hours and this rose to 65 per cent. in the November audit which has just been published.

Gershon Review

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what efficiency savings the Human Tissue Authority has made as a result of the Gershon Review; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) is a new executive non-departmental public body. From its inception it has implemented Gershon principles to ensure that costs are kept to a minimum. The following corporate support functions are outsourced:
	Facilities management (including accommodation);
	IT services;
	IT development (including web services);
	Financial services;
	HR services; and
	Legal services

GP Referrals

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether GPs will have a choice whether to send patients to an NHS hospital or through the capture, assess, treat and support system to independent treatment centres when referring them for treatment.

Ivan Lewis: The clinical assessment and treatment services is a primary care-based referral and assessment service and will be available for patients who do not need the specialist skills of secondary care or an elective procedure as part of an integrated modern clinical pathway. Referring clinicians are not required to refer patients to a particular service provider but should help each patient make the best choice for his or her needs.

Haemophiliacs

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of surviving haemophilia sufferers who have been infected with contaminated blood.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is provided in the table:
	
		
			  ( 1) Hepatitis C ( 2) HIV 
			 Estimated number of haemophilia patients infected through contaminated blood products who are alive 2,538 361 
			 (1) Estimated data from the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Directors' Organisation National Haemophilia Database (2) Data from the Macfarlane Trust

Health and Personal Social Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to table 5 on page Ev 10 of her Department's Memorandum to the Health Committee entitled Public Expenditure on Health and Personal Social Services 2006, HC 1692-i, published on 21 November 2006, if she will publish the table with all figures from the financial years 1997-98 to 2005-06; and if she will provide estimates for the 2006-07 financial year.

Andy Burnham: The Health Select Committee briefing data (table 5) was constructed using data collected from national health service trusts as part of the in-year financial monitoring system. The data are not audited, and have more limited detail than the information collected from the annual accounts. It is not possible therefore to publish the equivalent table for previous years.

Health Care Professionals (Recruitment)

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employment agencies have been removed from the list of agencies adhering to the code of practice for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals since the code was first published.

Rosie Winterton: Since the code of practice for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals was first published 12 recruitment agencies have been removed from the list of agencies adhering to the code of practice.
	After the introduction of the strengthened code of practice in December 2004, agencies were given a year to submit applications to be included on a new code of practice list of agencies adhering to the strengthened code. 149 agencies on the existing list failed to submit an application and were not included in the new list which was established in December 2005.

Health Care Professionals (Recruitment)

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times the code of practice for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals has been breached; how many times  (a) alleged breaches have been investigated and  (b) the code has been enforced (i) since the code was first published and (ii) since it was revised in 2004; and on how many occasions penalties were enforced by the application of penalties in each case.

Rosie Winterton: All allegations of breaches of the code of practice for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals are investigated.
	Information received from NHS Employers indicates that 10 commercial recruitment agencies have been removed from the list of agencies adhering to the code of practice for breaches of the code. Of these two were removed before the strengthened guidance was published in December 2004.
	In addition 12 national health service trusts have also been identified as being involved in breaches of the code of practice. NHS Employers writes to all trusts found in breach of the code of practice. These letters are copied to the strategic health authority responsible for the performance management of the trust.

Health Providers

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the qualifications required to carry out the roles of  (a) health visitor,  (b) district nurse and  (c) child psychologist have changed since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The content and standard of training for health visitors and district nurses is a matter for the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and relevant higher education institutions in collaboration with the Royal College of Nursing and other stakeholders. Health visitors and district nurses are obliged to undertake continuing professional development, and are required to declare they have met the NMC continuing professional development standard on a three-yearly basis in order to maintain their registration.
	With regard to child psychologists, by its Royal Charter granted in 1965 the British Psychological Society is charged with maintaining standards of professional education and knowledge.

Health Providers

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the roles of  (a) health visitors,  (b) district nurses and  (c) child psychologists working within the NHS have changed since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The primary role of the health visitor is the promotion of health and providing preventive healthcare. Since 1997, this has continued to be the focus of their role. Policies such as Liberating the Talents 2002, the Chief Nursing Officer's review of the nursing contribution to vulnerable children 2004 and the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services 2004 all reinforce the preventive contribution of health visitors, in particular for the most vulnerable children and families. Many primary care trusts are working with the profession to ensure that their role evolves in line with wider changes, such as the expansion of Sure Start Children's Centres.
	The role of the district nurse has changed in line with changing patient need and health policy. They are now caring for more people with long-term conditions, and managing a skill-mixed team of nurses. They are playing a vital role in enabling people with high levels of nursing needs to be cared for in their own homes.
	We have no knowledge of any significant change to the role of child psychologists since 1997.

Health Trusts

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances health trusts are required to offer reconfiguration plans for public consultation; who is responsible for deciding the circumstances; and to whom that person is accountable.

Andy Burnham: For all proposals concerning substantial changes to general service delivery, there is a duty to 'involve and consult' patients and the public conferred on national health service organisations by section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001. It is the responsibility of the relevant health organisation to decide which proposals should be consulted on and the strategic health authority to oversee the formal consultation process.
	The local authority's Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) considers the proposals as part of the formal consultation process and has the power to refer any proposal to the Secretary of State if it believes the proposal is not in the interests of the health service or the local community or if the consultation with the OSC has been inadequate. The Secretary of State can refer the matter to the independent reconfiguration panel for advice, require further consultation or endorse the decision of the local NHS organisations responsible for them.

Health Visitors and Community Nurses

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) health visitors and  (b) community nurses there are in each primary care trust in England.

Rosie Winterton: This information has been placed in the Library.

Health Visitors and Community Nurses

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether primary care trusts are required to ring-fence funding for the provision of  (a) health visitors and  (b) community nurses.

Rosie Winterton: Funding is not ring-fenced within the revenue allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs). It is PCTs' responsibility to decide how to use the funding allocated to them to meet the health needs of their local populations.

Hearing and Sight Tests

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she plans to introduce hearing and sight tests for children when they first attend secondary school.

Ivan Lewis: There are currently no plans in place to introduce sight or hearing tests for all children first attending secondary school.
	It is recommended that all children should be screened for visual impairment between four and five years of age. Once this programme is in place, the school entry vision screening programme aimed at seven-year-olds should cease.
	Although most cases of hearing impairment should be identified before school entry, there will be some cases that are missed, and the UK National Screening Committee has recommended that screening for hearing loss at the time of school entry should continue while further research is undertaken.

Heart Disease and Stroke Services

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her Department's report of 5 December 2006 on the clinical case for reconfiguration in the context of heart disease and stroke services, what extra spending would be required to improve available services in accident and emergency departments to bring the required number of hospitals up to the proposed level of emergency treatment capacity.

Rosie Winterton: As the report states, accident and emergency (A and E) units are not always the best places to treat heart attack and stroke victims.
	For treatment of heart attack, the key facility required is a catheterisation laboratory. The Department and the new opportunities fund have provided funding of 125 million to build 90 new or replacement catheterisation laboratories in England, increasing the capacity previously available by more than 50 per cent. The emerging findings from our national study of primary angioplasty show that the best times are achieved by ambulance paramedic triage and taking patients direct to the catheterisation laboratory without going via the A and E department.
	It is more appropriate for stroke victims to be taken directly to a stroke unit rather than to an A and E unit. Early analysis of best evidence provides an estimate that to provide immediate scanning for all stroke patients and increase uptake of thrombolysis to 4 per cent., currently being achieved by the centre with the highest thrombolysis rate in England, will cost 6.7 million to 8.7 million. To increase uptake to 10 per cent. (currently being achieved by leading centres around the world) the estimated cost is 10.9 million to 12.9 million. However, analysis also demonstrates that this investment will result in considerable long-term savings, and allow a significant number of stroke patients not only to survive, but to live fully independent lives.

Heart Disease and Stroke Services

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her Department's report of 5 December on the clinical case for reconfiguration in the context of heart disease and stroke services, what the proposed maximum pain to treatment time is for  (a) heart attack and  (b) stroke patients.

Rosie Winterton: The national service framework for coronary heart disease set a target that thrombolysis, treatment with clot-busting drugs, should be given to heart attack patients within 60 minutes of calling for professional help. Good progress has been made with meeting this target but there has been less progress in reducing the time from pain to call. Public awareness of symptoms is a key issue here. The Department is supporting the British Heart Foundation's recently launched campaign to raise awareness of heart attack symptoms. Primary angioplasty is most effective when delivered within three hours of onset of symptoms but will provide some benefit up to 12 hours after they have developed.
	Thrombolysis for stroke patients must be delivered within three hours of onset of stroke. The licence for the thrombolytic drug for stroke is only for delivery within three hours. It must be noted that a stroke may not involve pain so increasing awareness of the symptoms of stroke is an important part of delivering thrombolysis. The Department is currently supporting the Stroke Association FAST campaign which provides a clear and simple test to identify a stroke.

Hospital Closures

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters she has received from residents of Oxfordshire on the closure of community hospitals in the county.

Andy Burnham: The Department is aware of 63 letters received since July 2005 from residents of Oxfordshire on the closure of community hospitals in the county.

Hospital Closures (Media Interest)

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what methodology was used to arrive at predictions for media interest  (a) now,  (b) in the summer,  (c) in the autumn and  (d) in the future as indicated on the heat maps released by her Department on 7 November; which organisations carried out the research which was used to draw up the predictions for media interest; how much these organisations were paid; for what reasons her Department analysed media interest surrounding potential hospital closures; whether her Department has any plans to conduct further research into the media interest surrounding hospital closures; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The Department produced a set of maps following discussions with strategic health authorities (SHAs). These gave an indication of local media coverage of health service issues by SHA. The maps have not been updated.
	Copies of the maps are available in the Library and can be viewed on the Department's website at
	http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/FreedomOfInformation/EreadingRoom/fs/en.
	In addition, the Department routinely monitors local media interest in the NHS and will continue to do so.

Hospital Staff

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) hospitals,  (b) hospital doctors,  (c) nurses and  (d) other hospital staff working with patients there were on (i) 2 May 1997 and (ii) the most recent date for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The number of medical and dental staff and qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff employed by the NHS on 30 September 1997 and 2005 is shown in the table.
	There is no specific definition of a hospital. An estimate of the current number of hospitals has been made using information from the National Administration Codes Services (from Connecting for Health) by extracting sites which have hospital or infirmary in their title. The total number of hospital sites, on this basis, is in the order of 1,200.
	
		
			  Hospital and community health services (HCHS): medical and dental and non-medical staff by grade and yearEngland at  30 September each year 
			  Number (headcount) 
			   1997  2005 
			 All medical and dental staff 66,836 90,630 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 254,110 316,599 
			  Note:  Data include acute, elderly and general care, paediatric nursing, maternity services, psychiatric, and learning disabilities nurses. Community nursing staff are excluded.   Source:  The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census. The Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census.

Hospital-acquired Infections

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what funding her Department has provided to support research into the eradication of  (a) MRSA and  (b) clostridium difficile;
	(2)  what research her Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) examined on the possibility of (i) MRSA and (ii) clostridium difficile being airborne infections.

Andy Burnham: The main agency through which the Government support biomedical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Innovation.
	The MRC funds a considerable programme of research that underpins scientific understanding of hospital-acquired infections including methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), clostridium difficile and other antibiotic resistant pathogens. A summary of the financial support given as part of that programme specifically to research on MRSA is shown in the table.
	
		
			million 
			 2000-01 0.8 
			 2001-02 1.4 
			 2002-03 1.4 
			 2003-04 0.7 
			 2004-05 0.9 
			 Total 5.2 
		
	
	In addition, the MRC also currently supports two PhD studentships on the pathogenesis and immune response to clostridium difficile.
	The Department has recognised the public health importance of rising antimicrobial resistance for many years. During the first half of 2003 the Department commissioned a 2.5 million strategic programme of research aimed at improving scientific understanding of antimicrobial resistance. 590,000 of that total sum was spent between 2004 and 2006 supporting three research projects specifically dealing with MRSA.
	The publication of the Department's report Winning Waysworking together to reduce healthcare associated infection in England in December 2003 was accompanied by the announcement that 3 million would be allocated to fund a new research programme on healthcare associated infections.
	Of the projects now being supported by this fund, two are specifically related to MRSA:
	a study of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of MRSA screening and monitoring on surgical wards using a new molecular test; and
	a randomised crossover trial of a new, rapid method of MRSA detection compared with conventional screening, looking at efficacy and the effect upon hospital MRSA infection rates, transmission rates and the use of hospital resources.
	Some 900,000 is being provided to support these two projects.
	The Department is also supporting a 90,000 study related to improving understanding of possible community-acquired MRSA; has funded a national confidential study of suspected deaths from healthcare-associated infection at a cost of 254,000; and a 216,000 study of bacteraemia in children caused by MRSA.
	The Department is not sponsoring research specifically focused on airborne transmission of hospital-acquired infections.

Hospital-acquired Infections

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to tackle MRSA; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Tackling MRSA is a priority for Government and the national health service. We have set a target to halve the number of MRSA bloodstream infections by 2008 and each acute trust has its own target. The Department and its partner organisations have developed a range of mutually reinforcing activities that ensure combating the spread of MRSA is embedded in everyday procedures and policies, in particular:
	all acute trusts are signed-up to the 'Saving Lives' package of best practice which, if implemented in full, should combat MRSA spread in the acute sector. It is supplemented by the 'Essential Steps' initiative, designed for non-acute care settings;
	mandatory MRSA surveillance, which continues to be developed/enhanced;
	the first ever national hand hygiene programme for hospital staff 'cleanyourhands', has progressed to its second year;
	a root cause analysis tool was published in September 2006 to help trusts investigate and better understand how and why MRSA bloodstream infections occur and hence where they should focus their action to prevent them;
	a statutory code of practice which requires NHS bodies to have appropriate management and clinical governance systems in place to deliver effective infection control came into force on 1 October;
	enhanced advice on screening patients at risk was published on 16 November; and
	acute trusts have been invited to apply for additional capital resources to help tackle healthcare associated infections, with 50 million set aside for this purpose.
	Additionally, tailored support is available for those trusts in the most challenging positions. Improvement teams will during 2006-07, work with about 50 trusts, so as to help identify those issues that prevent reduction in infections at the local level, and help them develop action plans to speed up and sustain progress.

Healthcare: Immigrants

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by social services departments in each local authority on provision for  (a) adults and  (b) children who have no recourse to public funds because of their immigration status in 2005-06; how many adults and children were receiving such services; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect the information requested in respect of adults.
	Children's social services are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills.

Independent Treatment Centres

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the utilisation of each of the independent sector treatment centres was as a percentage of contracted value in 2005-06; and what it has been so far in 2006-07.

Caroline Flint: The percentage values for individual independent sector treatment centres (ISTCs) are commercially sensitive and release at this time would adversely affect the Department's ability to achieve best value from these contracts. An average across the programme was nearly 80 per cent. in 2005-06.
	The Department procured independent sector capacity on the basis of capacity planning exercises conducted through strategic health authorities where the additional capacity in elective treatment and diagnostics required to meet key public service agreement waiting times targets was estimated. Where the estimates of demand have not been met so far in a contract the Department is working with the national health service and independent providers to ensure contracts deliver best value over the life of the contract.

Independent Treatment Centres

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what records of infection rates in independent treatment centres she requires operators of independent treatment centres to report to her Department; and if she will publish such records.

Ivan Lewis: Infection rates in independent sector treatment centres are not collected centrally currently. However, independent sector providers providing national health service services within wave one of the independent sector treatment centre programme are contractually obliged to report any serious untoward incidents, including infections, to the Department.
	Providers are also obliged to report outbreaks of infectious diseases to the Healthcare Commission under the provisions of the Private and Voluntary Health Care Regulations 2001. As part of the phase two procurement key performance indicators will include returns on MSRA and other hospital acquired infections

Independent Treatment Centres

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with  (a) strategic health authorities and  (b) primary care trusts in the North West on the second wave of independent treatment centres.

Ivan Lewis: The Department maintains a continuing dialogue with the national health service North West in relation to the procurement of independent sector treatment centre (ISTC) services in the North West as part of phase two of the ISTC programme. NHS North West in turn engages with key stakeholders including primary care trusts and hospital trusts. As part of the phase two procurement process the local NHS, through SHAs, must confirm their support for ISTC schemes before preferred bidders are appointed and before contracts are awarded.

Influenza Vaccinations

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons for the delay in the supply of influenza vaccine this year have been; and what financial or other penalties have been imposed on the suppliers.

Caroline Flint: Manufacturers encountered a problem in growing one of the three virus strains recommended by the World Health Organization to be included in this year's vaccine. This problem affected all European and international production.
	General practitioners order their own vaccine direct from the supplier(s) of their choice and enter into their own contract agreement. Therefore, no financial penalties have been imposed by the Department.

Influenza Vaccinations

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of people over 65 in  (a) Ludlow constituency,  (b) Shropshire and  (c) the West Midlands have received an influenza vaccination in the past 12 months.

Caroline Flint: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Provisional data for the 2006-07 influenza immunisation programme show that by the end of November 2006, 59 per cent. of people aged over 65 years had been vaccinated in the Shropshire County primary care trust area and 62 per cent. of people aged over 65 years had been vaccinated in the NHS West Midlands area.
	The table shows the percentage of persons aged 65 and over immunised against influenza during October 2005 to January 2006 in the primary care trusts in the three former strategic health authorities in the West Midlands.
	
		
			   Percentage 
			  West Midlands 74 
			 Birmingham and The Black Country 73 
			 Dudley Beacon and Castle PCT 75 
			 Dudley South PCT 73 
			 Eastern Birmingham PCT 73 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 77 
			 North Birmingham PCT 72 
			 Oldbury and Smethwick PCT 67 
			 Rowley Regis and Tipton PCT 72 
			 Solihull PCT 75 
			 South Birmingham PCT 73 
			 Walsall Teaching PCT 75 
			 Wednesbury and West Bromwich PCT 67 
			 Wolverhampton City PCT 73 
			   
			  Shropshire and Staffordshire 74 
			 Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth PCT 72 
			 Cannock Chase PCT 74 
			 East Staffordshire PCT 70 
			 Newcastle-under-Lyme PCT 76 
			 North Stoke PCT 75 
			 Shropshire County PCT 76 
			 South Stoke PCT 76 
			 South Western Staffordshire PCT 72 
			 Staffordshire Moorlands PCT 74 
			 Telford and Wrekin PCT 74 
			   
			  West Midlands South 76 
			 Coventry Teaching PCT 71 
			 Herefordshire PCT 78 
			 North Warwickshire PCT 74 
			 Redditch and Bromsgrove PCT 76 
			 Rugby PCT 75 
			 South Warwickshire PCT 79 
			 South Worcestershire PCT 76 
			 Wyre Forest PCT 79 
			  Source:  HPA.

Inter-authority Transfers

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2006,  Official Report, column 678, on inter-authority transfers, if she will list the  (a) transferer,  (b) transferee and  (c) value of transfer for each (i) revenue and (ii) capital inter-authority transfer in (A) 2004-05 and (B) 2005-06; and if she will list the same information for each inter-authority transfer in 2006-07 to date.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 18 December 2006
	The information is not available and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Intermediate Beds

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intermediate beds are available per thousand population in each county in England.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of available intermediate care beds per 1,000 population quarter two 2006-07 
			  Strategic health authority  Number of intermediate care beds  Population  Number of intermediate care beds available per 1,000 population 
			 North East 313 2,558,308 0.12 
			 North West 1,068 6,846,249 0.16 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 926 5,063,944 0.18 
			 East Midlands 1,033 4,306,335 0.24 
			 West Midlands 909 5,365,438 0.17 
			 East of England 940 5,541,636 0.17 
			 London 897 7,517,726 0.12 
			 South East Coast 993 4,213,904 0.24 
			 South Central 795 3,950,320 0.20 
			 South West 780 5,067,794 0.15 
			 England total 8,654 50,431,654 0.17 
			  Source:  Department of Health form LDPR and 2005 mid-year resident population estimates based on 2001 Census.

Interpreters

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will centrally collate the amount NHS trusts in England and Wales spent on interpreters in the 2005-06 financial year; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 19 December 2006
	National health service bodies are not required to report their planned or actual spending on interpretation and translation services to the Department. When planning such services, NHS bodies should take due account of their legal duties, the composition of the communities they serve, and the needs and circumstances of their patients, service users and local populations.
	The Government have established the independent Commission on Integration and Cohesion to look at Government policies and public services and to report in 2007. As part of its brief, the Commission will look at the provision of language services across Government. The Department will fully support the commission in its work.

Investing in Your Health Consultations

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total  (a) indirect and  (b) direct costs were from the Investing In Your Health consultations carried out by the (i) St. Albans and Harpenden Primary Care Trust, (ii) NHS Eastern Regional Office, (iii) East and North Hertfordshire. NHS Trust, (iv) Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Trust, (v) West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, (vi) South East Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust, (vii) Welwyn and Hatfield Primary Care Trust, (viii) Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Ambulance and Paramedic Service, (ix) Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority, (x) North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Primary Care Trust and (xi) Royston, Buntingford and Bishop's Stortford Primary Care Trust.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is not held centrally. The responsibility of this local consultation fell to the former Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority.

Lincolnshire Chief Executive

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Chief Executive of United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust was paid during her suspension; whether she received a  (a) pay rise and  (b) bonus in that period; and what severance package she has been awarded.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally.
	The information may be obtainable by contacting David Bowles, Chairman of the United Lincolnshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust.

Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when the Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Advisory Group last met; when it last made a preliminary report; and when its final report is due;
	(2)  when she expects the mesothelioma sub-group to report on the measures required in a mesothelioma treatment and care strategy.

Rosie Winterton: The Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Advisory Group (LCAMAG) last met on 13 July 2006.
	There are no plans for LCAMAG to produce a report. The remit of LCAMAG is to facilitate collaboration and to promote mutual understanding between the Department, the voluntary sector, patient and professional groups and to continually advise Ministers, the National Cancer Director and the Department on the development and delivery of high quality services for lung cancer patients.
	LCAMAG and its associated mesothelioma sub-group have however produced a draft mesothelioma framework discussion document which provides advice for the national health service on how to organise services for mesothelioma patients to improve standards of care across the country. This document is currently out for consultation. It has been placed in the Library and is available on the Department's website at
	www.dh.gov.uk/Consultations/LiveConsultations/Live Consultationsarticle/fs/en?CONTENT-ID=4140971chk=lu7dSB
	The deadline for responses to the consultation is 18 January 2007.

Medical Staff (Sexual Offences)

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered  (a) doctors and  (b) dentists were (i) convicted and (ii) cautioned for sexual offences in each year since 1997.

Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 14 December 2006,  Official Report, column 1360W.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency last updated the information on its website on  (a) the Yellow Card Scheme and  (b) on each individual drug analysis print; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are collected by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) through the spontaneous reporting scheme, the Yellow Card Scheme. Approximately 19,000 reports of suspected ADRs are reported to the MHRA/CHM through this scheme each year by health professionals and patients.
	The MHRA is committed to making information about the yellow scheme and the information it collects as accessible as possible on the MHRA website. Information on the Yellow Card Scheme website was most recently updated on 1 December 2006. Drug analysis prints were most recently updated on 18 November 2006 to include ADR data received by the MHRA up to and including 26 May 2006.
	The MHRA is currently implementing a major upgrade of the drug safety monitoring database and data reporting systems. This upgrade includes a review of the presentation of aggregated drug safety information with a view to making the information easier to interpret. Subsequent to this redesign, the MHRA will update the adverse drug reaction data on a three-monthly cycle.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  for what reasons items are removed by the medicines control agency from health food shops;
	(2)  what factors determine whether the medicines control agency removes from a retailer  (a) the complete stock and  (b) a sample of a product which they wish to test; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what guidance she issues to retailers on the categories of goods which are liable to seizure by the medicines control agency;
	(4)  what strategy the medicines control agency adopts in seizing products deemed unsafe from retailers in particular areas; what approach was used in relation to seizures from Hedonic of Portsmouth; and what the purpose of the seizures made was;
	(5)  what steps the medicines control agency has taken to seize health food products deemed unsafe from  (a) wholesalers and  (b) importers.

Andy Burnham: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the United Kingdom regulatory authority with responsibility for the licensing and control of medicines on the UK market.
	In the UK, medicinal products on the UK market are controlled under the Medicines Act 1968 and supporting regulations. The Act places controls on the sale, supply, distribution and manufacture of medicinal products in the UK. It also places a statutory duty on the Secretary of State for Health to enforce, or secure the enforcement of, the provisions of the Act. Section 8 contains rights of entry, powers to inspect products and equipment, to take samples and to seize products and documentation in order to ascertain whether or not there may have been a contravention of the legislative requirements. MHRA guidance on the legislative requirements is available in the Rules and Guidance for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Distributors 2002 and on the MHRA website at www.mhra.gov.uk. No specific MHRA guidance is issued to retailers.
	Medicinal products which do not meet the regulatory requirements cannot be guaranteed for their safety, quality or efficacy and may pose a significant risk to public health and their sale or supply may constitute a criminal offence. Products suspected of breaching these legislative requirements can be inspected, sampled and seized under powers available under section 8 of the Act. If it is not known whether or not a product offered for sale is falling outside licensing requirements, a sample can be taken and submitted for analysis.
	Enforcement officers at MHRA carry out investigations into suspected illegal activity involving medicines on a UK-wide basis. If products in stock at a retail outlet are found to be illegally on sale, they can be seized and removed from the premises. The products seized from Hedonic in Southsea were in response to an adverse drug reaction report for a product on sale for humans and containing Benzyl Piperazine (BZP) a derivative of a veterinary product, Piperazine. MHRA investigations are continuing.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many individual patients received treatment for mental illness in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many episodes of treatment for mentally ill patients were completed in each of the last 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not available in the requested format. Information on the number of finished episodes under the care of consultants in the psychiatry group in each of the last 10 years is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Count of finished consultant episodes where the main specialty of the consultant was mental health (700-715) NHS hospitals, England, 1995-96 to 2004-05 
			   Learning disability  Adult mental illness  Child and adolescent psychiatry  Forensic psychiatry  Psychotherapy  Old age psychiatry 
			  700 710 711 712 713 715 
			 2004-05 26,422 131,668 2,083 1,825 277 44,690 
			 2003-04 29,954 137,449 2,068 1,868 309 45,320 
			 2002-03 36,466 143,631 2,297 1,716 346 49,084 
			 2001-02 34,737 148,460 2,240 1,852 230 49,159 
			 2000-01 36,367 152,371 2,055 1,712 235 50,573 
			 1999-2000 39,221 157,193 2,015 1,700 94 53,882 
			 1998-99 42,165 160,610 1,960 1,673 54 51,816 
			 1997-98 43,304 162,008 2,048 1,508 53 50,337 
			 1996-97 45,887 165,316 2,207 1,285 63 51,731 
			 1995-96 50,680 175,289 2,123 1,136 68 51,644 
			  Notes: 1. Care is needed when analysing hospital episode statistics (HES) data by specialty, or by groups of specialties (such as Acute). Trusts have different ways of managing specialties and attributing codes so it is better to analyse by specific diagnoses, operations or other recorded information. 2. Finished Consultant Episode (FCE). 3. An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.  Sources: 1. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES). 2. The Information Centre for Health and Social Care.

Mental Health

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she plans to introduce a system of payment by results for mental health services.

Andy Burnham: The Department is currently working with the national health service information centre and the NHS to develop a classification system for mental health services. The Department will provide further progress on these developments in the document Future of Payment by Results: 2008-09 and beyond to be published early in 2007.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to fulfil the commitment in the Our Health, Our Care, Our Say white paper to introduce statutory regulation for psychological therapies.

Rosie Winterton: The Government have long accepted that psychotherapists, counsellors and other talking therapists require statutory regulation in the interests of public protection. Once a prerequisite infrastructure is in place to provide statutory regulation, the Government intend that the Health Professions Council will regulate psychotherapists and counsellors.
	The public consultation on proposals to reform the regulation of medical and non-medical healthcare professions closed on 10 November 2006. Ministers will shortly consider the future work programme on healthcare professional regulation in the light of the responses received and the Government's own policy objectives.
	Skills for Health launched an initial competence framework identifying the scope of practice involved in psychotherapy and counselling, for consultation between 1 December 2006 and 28 February 2007. This will inform the standards for statutory regulation.

Metered Dose Inhalers

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which EU countries  (a) have and  (b) have not phased out the use of CFC-based metered dose inhalers (MDIs); and what discussions her Department have had with those countries which have phased out MDIs on disseminating best practice;
	(2)  what steps the Government have taken to phase out the use of CFC-based metered dose inhalers.

Andy Burnham: The United Kingdom Government have already declared the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to be non-essential for three medicines in metered dose inhalers (MDIs)ipratropium, salbutamol and fluticasone. The scope for further UK declarations is currently under review as part of further action to take forward the UK transition strategy for CFC-based metered dose inhalers.
	The remaining need for CFCs for MDIs was most recently considered by member states, including the UK, at the meeting on 8 December 2006 of the Management Committee of EC Regulation 2037/2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer. The European Commission plans to hold a joint meeting of member state Environment and Health Departments in March next year to further discuss continuing phase-out work.
	Under the EU strategy for the phase-out of CFCs in metered dose inhalers, active ingredients in CFC-based MDIs are grouped into six categories. Five member states have declared the use of CFCs to be non-essential in all six categories. These are Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania and Slovenia.

Ministerial Meetings

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what occasions she has met the chief executive of the  (a) South East Coast strategic health authority and  (b) West Sussex Primary Care Trust and predecessors since May 2005.

Caroline Flint: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met with the chief executive of South East Coast strategic health authority (SHA) on 22 March and 14 July 2006.
	I met with the chief executive of National Health Service South East Coast on four occasions; the dates are as follows: 22 March 2006, 10 July 2006, 20 September 2006 and 11 October 2006.1 also met the chief executive of West Sussex PCT on 12 December 2006.

Ministerial Meetings

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she met  (a) the Chief Executives of (i) NHS Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority and (ii) East Riding of Yorkshire Primary Care Trust and  (b) their predecessors in each year since May 2005; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met with the current Chief Executive of the Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and the former Chief Executive of the South Yorkshire SHA, among others, during a recent visit to Harrogate on 18 October 2006.
	In addition, the Department's Top Team meet with chief executives of SHAs from across the country on a monthly basis. My right hon. Friend attends these meetings wherever possible.

New Mother Discharges

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the minimum time is following delivery of a baby that a mother should be discharged.

Ivan Lewis: The length of stay in a maternity unit following delivery of a baby is a matter for the clinical judgment of the healthcare professionals involved in the mother's care. In line with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's clinical guidelines Routine postnatal care of women and their babies, published in July 2006, this decision should be reached following discussion with the mother and take into account the health and well-being of the woman and her baby and the level of support available following discharge.

Newcastle Primary Care Trust

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what population assumptions were used for allocations to Newcastle primary care trust in  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06 and  (c) 2006-07; and what assumptions are planned to be used for the 2007-08 allocation;
	(2)  what population figures for the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne were used as the basis for allocating resources to the Newcastle primary care trust in  (a) 2003-04,  (b) 2004-05,  (c) 2005-06 and  (d) 2006-07; and what figure will be used for the basis of allocation in 2007-08.

Andy Burnham: Primary care trust (PCT) revenue allocations are based on Office for National Statistics (ONS) census populations adjusted for cross boundary flows where patients are resident in one PCT and registered with a GP practice in another PCT.
	2003-04 to 2005-06 allocations used 2001 ONS sub-national population estimates and 2002 GP practice lists. 2006-07 and 2007-08 allocations used 2003-based ONS sub-national population projections for 2006 and 2007 respectively and 2004 GP practice lists.
	The ONS populations for Newcastle-upon-Tyne are shown in table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			  Allocation year  Population 
			 2003-04 259,567 
			 2004-05 259,567 
			 2005-06 259,567 
			 2006-07 263,888 
			 2007-08 263,356 
		
	
	The populations for Newcastle PCT, after adjusting for cross boundary flows, are shown in table 2.
	
		
			  Table 2 
			  Allocation year  Population 
			 2003-04 254,380 
			 2004-05 254,380 
			 2005-06 254,380 
			 2006-07 258,859 
			 2007-08 258,398

NHS Debt

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by turnaround teams in reducing debt within the NHS; what the most recent deficit position is in the NHS; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: We published the national health service finance report for the second quarter of 2006-07 on 9 November, which states that the NHS as a whole is forecasting a 94 million deficit, after the application of a 350 million contingency established by strategic health authorities.
	143 NHS organisations were in turnaround at the time of the quarter 2 report. At the end of 2005-06 these 143 organisations reported a combined deficit of l.l billion in their final accounts. At quarter 2 2006-07, these organisations were forecasting a combined year-end deficit of 835 million, a movement of around 287 million.

NHS Emissions

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps the NHS is taking to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the NHS in each of the last five years.

Andy Burnham: National health service bodies are legally autonomous and it is for them to take steps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions where local circumstances permit. To help in this process the Department has issued guidance for the NHS, set out in Encode, on a range of steps to improve energy and carbon efficiency. The NHS is also subject to mandatory energy and carbon targets, set by the Government in April 2001. These require it to achieve efficiency savings of 15 per cent. energy, or 0.15 million tonnes carbon, from a base year of March 2000 to March 2010.
	As the NHS does not have Crown immunity, a number of NHS organisations will need to comply with the requirements of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Regulations 2005 which will contribute further to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
	The Department is unable to make an estimate of the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the NHS. Such emissions cover water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The Department's estates returns information collection (ERIC) database only collects information from which to calculate energy, carbon dioxide and equivalent carbon emissions.

NHS Expenditure

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the national health service in  (a) 1996-97 and  (b) 2005-06; and what the percentage change was in real terms over that period.

Rosie Winterton: The average real terms increase in national health service total net expenditure for the period 1996-97 to 2005-06 is 6.3 per cent.
	The real terms increase year on year from 1996-97 to 2005-06 is included in the following table.
	
		
			  NHS Total Expenditure: England -1996-97 to 2005-06 
			Net NHS Expenditure( 1)  (billion)  Percentage increase  Percentage real terms increase( 2) 
			  Cash( 3) 
			 1996-97 Outturn 32.997 3.2 0.2 
			 1997-98 Outturn 34.664 5.1 2.1 
			 1998-99 Outturn 36.608 5.6 3.0 
			 1999-00 Outturn 39.881 8.9 6.8 
			  
			  RB Stage 1( 4) 
			 1999-2000 Outturn 40.201   
			 2000-01 Outturn 43.932 9.3 7.8 
			 2001-02 Outturn 49.021 11.6 9.0 
			 2002-03 Outturn 54.042 10.2 6.9 
			  
			  RB Stage ( 2,5,6) 
			 2003-04 Outturn 64.183   
			 2004-05(7) Outturn 69.306 8.0 5.1 
			  Estimated
			 2005-06 Outturn 77.847 12.3 10.2 
			 1. Figures are not consistent over the period (1996-97 to 2005-06), therefore it is difficult to make comparisons across different periods. 2. Figures from 2003-04 include a technical adjustment for trust depreciation. 3. Expenditure pre 1999-00 is on a cash basis. 4. Expenditure figures from 2003-04 to 2005-06 are on a Stage 2 Resource Budgeting basis. 5. Expenditure figures from 1999-00 to 2002-03 are on a Stage 1 Resource Budgeting basis. 6. The Resource Budgeting Stage 2 expenditure figures shown for 2004-05 to 2005-06 are consistent with table 3.4 of the 2006 Departmental Report. 7. Includes a technical adjustment in 2004-05 for provisions of -1,497 million.  Note: GDP deflator as at 27 September 2006

NHS Finance

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the projected increases in populations used to determine the revenue allocations to primary care trusts within the Thames Gateway for  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) thereafter include the entirety of the population increase likely to be accommodated as a result of the increased rate of housebuilding anticipated under the Sustainable Communities Plan; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The 2006-07 and 2007-08 allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs) use population projections published by the Office for National Statistics. Additionally, and in conjunction with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), the Department included within these allocations a formula adjustment for the growth areas including Thames Gateway to support the Sustainable Communities Plan.
	For the adjustment, DCLG provided variant population projections which forecast until 2016 the population resulting from additional homes over and above regional planning guidance in the growth areas. The growth area adjustment incorporates the relevant part of these variant population projections for 2006-07 and 2007-08.
	The Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA) is reviewing the population base for allocations to PCTs after 2007-08 as part of its current work programme.

NHS Financial Performance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her Department's publication of the NHS Financial Performance, quarter two, 2006-07, if she will list the organisations referred to in paragraph 1.4 (iv) as forecasting deficits in  (a) quarter one and  (b) quarter two; and what the size of the forecast deficit is for each organisation.

Andy Burnham: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

NHS Head of IT

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the head of IT for the NHS  (a) was paid,  (b) received as a bonus and  (c) received in pension contributions in each of the last five years for which data are available; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Director-General of NHS IT Programme, Mr. Granger, was appointed to his current role on 7 October 2002 on a salary of 250,000. He accepted a very substantial reduction in pay and allowances on joining the Department. His contract provides for an annual increase in salary in line with the revalorisation of senior civil service pay ranges or RPI. While he has no contractual entitlement to performance pay, discretionary bonus payments of around 5 per cent. have been paid in his full years of service. The figures for combined salary and bonuses for earlier years were, since his appointment, as shown below:
	
		
			   Amount () 
			 2002-03 250,000 
			 2003-04 257,750 
			 2004-05 274,194 
			 2005-06 282,648 
			 2006-07 292,237 
		
	
	Information about pension arrangements for civil servants can be found on the following website:
	http://www.civilservice-pensions.gov.uk/

NHS Operating Framework

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish the NHS Operating Framework for 2007-08.

Andy Burnham: The NHS in England: the operating framework for 2007-08 was published on 11 December 2006 which is available in the Library.

NHS Reconfiguration

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure effective public consultation is undertaken on changes to the configuration of NHS services.

Andy Burnham: There is a well-established process for conducting consultations on reconfigurations, which is encouraged and supported by the Department. The Department has issued guidance, Strengthening Accountability, published in February 2003, that offers policy and practice guidance for national health service organisations on involving patients and the public. Primarily there is a duty to consult and involve patients and the public conferred on NHS organisations by section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001. Further information about policy and guidance published by the Department on consultations can be found at:
	www.doh.gov.uk/involvingpatients

NHS Redundancies

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2006,  Official Report, column 858W, on NHS redundancies, when she expects to publish the NHS financial performance report for the third quarter of the 2006-07 financial year.

Andy Burnham: We expect to publish the national health service financial performance report for the third quarter of 2006-07, in February 2007.

NHS Trusts

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) efficiency and  (b) productivity indicators she uses to assess standards of (i) care and (ii) value for money of NHS trusts' performance.

Andy Burnham: The Healthcare Commission and the Audit Commission have the statutory responsibility for assessing the performance of national health service trusts. The results of this work is published in the annual health check which covers both quality of care and value for money.
	The NHS Institute of Innovation and Improvement now publishes the 'Better Care, Better Value Indicators' which supports the work of NHS trusts in improving their efficiency and productivity.

NICE

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given to primary care trusts on making available to patients drug treatments which are licensed but are not yet a part of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's work programme.

Andy Burnham: In 1999 the Department issued health service circular 1999/176, which asks national health service bodies to continue with local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies where guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has not yet been issued. The Department issued an updated version of this guidance on 14 December 2006 and copies have been placed in the Library.

Non-elective Admissions

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will publish the predictive risk indicators for non-elective admissions.

Andy Burnham: There is no information held on predictive risk indicators for non-elective admissions.

Nurses

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the NHS work force nurses represent; and what proportion they represented in 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the proportion of the national health service work force in England represented by nurses in 1997 and 2005.
	
		
			   Headcount  Percentage of NHS staff 
			   1997  2005  1997  2005 
			 Total employed staff (inc. GP and practice staff) 1,058,686 1,365,388 100 100 
			 Total qualified nursing staff(1) 318,856 404,161 30 30 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 300,467 381,257 28 28 
			 GP practice nurses(2) 18,389 22,904 2 2 
			 (1) Nursing and midwifery figures exclude students on training courses leading to a first qualification as a nurse or midwife. (2) 1997 GP and practice nurse data as at 1 October.  Sources: 1. The Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census 2. The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census 3. The Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

Nurses

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the proportion of newly qualified nurses entering the NHS in each year since 1997 with a  (a) diploma qualification and  (b) degree qualification.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

Nursing Posts

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing posts are being held open within the NHS.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department uses an internal  (a) traffic light and  (b) colour coded system to answer written parliamentary questions; and whether her Department grades or classifies written parliamentary questions according to their political sensitivity.

Ivan Lewis: No.

Primary Care Trust Expenditure

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by the primary care trusts in  (a) Suffolk Coastal,  (b) Central Suffolk,  (c) Ipswich and  (d) Suffolk East on (i) salaries and (ii) wages for (A) general and senior managers, (B) nurses and midwives and (C) administrative and clerical staff in each of the last four financial years.

Andy Burnham: Information is not available in the format requested. However, the following tables show staff cost expenditure; this includes Employers National Insurance contributions, Employers pension contributions and other pensions costs for Ipswich primary care trust (PCT), Suffolk Coastal PCT and Central Suffolk PCT, showing data for 2002-03 and 2004-05 as 2005-06 data are not yet available. This has been supplied because we do not hold data just on salaries and wages centrally.
	Suffolk East, Central Suffolk and Ipswich PCTs were all established on 1 April 2002 and the recruitment to management posts was a gradual one resulting in less than half of the established posts being filled at the end of the financial year for 2002-03. The recruitment process continued throughout 2003-04 and it was not until 2004-05 that the PCTs' full management structures were fully established.
	The rise in costs to 2004-05 was due to a change in the numbers used for population. Until 2004-05 the PCTs used weighted head of general practitioner registered population, in 2004-05 we were advised to use the weighted population count as per the Office of National Statistics census.
	There is also an inflationary element in the costs of 3.2 per cent. per year.
	
		
			  Ipswich 
			   
			   2004-05  2003-04  2002-03 
			 Total senior managers and managers 1,622,000 1,061,812 643,505 
			 Nursing, midwifery and health visiting 5,187,000 3,732,288 3,250,779 
			 Administrative and clerical 1,099,000 773,860 514,388 
		
	
	
		
			  Suffolk Coastal 
			   
			   2004-05  2003-04  2002-03 
			 Total senior managers and managers 1,196,000 1,095,542 652,847 
			 Nursing, midwifery and health visiting 4,880,000 4,311,884 3,876,517 
			 Administrative and clerical 1,262,000 942,369 848,948 
		
	
	
		
			  Central Suffolk 
			   
			   2004-05  2003-04  2002-03 
			 Total senior managers and managers 1,139,000 522,371 327,688 
			 Nursing, midwifery and health visiting 4,521,000 4,274,666 3,614,584 
			 Administrative and clerical 1,204,000 868,140 718,493

Primary Care Trust Expenditure

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the aggregate expenditure of primary care trusts in North Yorkshire was in each year since 1996-97  (a) in cash terms and  (b) at current prices; and what estimate she has made of expenditure in 2006-07.

Andy Burnham: The information is not available in the format requested. However, the table shows the total operating expenses of primary care trusts (PCTs) in North Yorkshire in cash and real terms from 2001-02 to 2005-06. Figures for 2006-07 accounts are not yet available.
	
		
			  000 
			   Cash terms  Real terms 
			 2001-02 153,018 170,086 
			 2002-03 632,867 682,351 
			 2003-04 697,622 730,448 
			 2004-05 792,725 807,766 
			 2005-06 893,717 893,717 
			  Notes  Expenditure shown does not include all national health service expenditure within the area. Expenditure on general dental services and pharmaceutical services accounted for by the Dental Practice Board and the prescriptions pricing division of the NHS Business Service Authority, respectively, are excluded from the figures. This expenditure cannot be included within the figures for the individual health bodies as they are not included in commissioner accounts.   Source:  Audited summarisation schedules of Selby and York Primary Care Trust 2001-02 to 2005-06. Audited summarisation schedules of Craven, Harrogate and Rural Primary Care Trust, Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust, and Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale Primary Care Trust 2002-03 to 2005-06 Treasury GDP Deflator used to provide the real terms figures with 2005-06 as the baseline

Primary Care Trust Expenditure

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding  (a) in total and  (b) per capita was allocated to each primary care trust (PCT) in England; what the outturn expenditure was in each case; and what the population density is in each PCT area.

Andy Burnham: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Perinatal Nursing

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intensive care perinatal nurse posts have been held open in the last year.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

PFI Schemes

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the value is of the unitary payments of each private finance initiative scheme overseen by her Department over the lifetime of the contract expressed in constant 2006-07 prices.

Andy Burnham: The tables, which have been placed in the Library, give details of private finance initiative schemes which have reached financial close including capital value, unitary payments at 2006-07 prices and period of concession.

Pharmaceutical Services

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on recent developments in single-channel pharmaceutical wholesale distribution, with particular reference to  (a) security of supplies and  (b) cost-effectiveness to the national health service.

Andy Burnham: We will monitor any new arrangements. If the changes result in shortages, disruptions to supply, any additional costs to the national health service, or have a detrimental affect on funding pharmacy contractors, then we will seek to ensure the corrective action is taken.

Physiotherapy

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of physiotherapy graduates have gained employment in the NHS in each year since 2001.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

Prescription Charges

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department's revenue was from prescription charges paid by people  (a) under 25 years and  (b) over 25 years in the latest year for which figures are available.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Prescription Charges

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Union of Students will be consulted as part of the review into prescription charges; and what the timescale is for the review.

Andy Burnham: I plan to meet the National Union of Students early in the new year.

Prescription Charges

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many internal reviews of the prescription charging system have been carried out since 1997; and what the outcome has been of each.

Andy Burnham: An internal review of prescription charges was undertaken by departmental officials, in conjunction with HM Treasury, as part of the formulation of Government policy for the 1998 comprehensive spending review. This work fed into the outcome of the comprehensive spending review which was published by HM Treasury. No changes were made to the charging arrangements as a result.

Prescription Charges

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will initiate a full-scale review of the costs and benefits of  (a) alternative systems to the existing prescription charging system and  (b) the abolition of prescription charging altogether.

Andy Burnham: The Government are undertaking a review of prescription charges and will report the outcome of this review by the summer recess 2007. This review will include options to:
	revise the list of medical exemptions to prescription charges;
	introduce a flat rate prescription charge with no exemptions; and
	base exemption to prescription charges solely on income.
	These options will be considered on the basis that any changes to prescription charge exemptions, if implemented, are cost-neutral for the national health service.
	The Government do not agree that it would be appropriate to abolish prescription charges as this would reduce, by some 430 million, the money available to deliver health priorities.

Prescription Charges

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what principles underpin the existing exemptions from prescription charging.

Andy Burnham: The Government's policy on entitlement to help with prescription charges in England is based on the principle that those who can afford to contribute should do so, while those who are likely to have difficulty in paying should be protected. Consequently 87 per cent. of prescriptions in England are dispensed free of charge.

Public Health Directors

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many public health directors are employed by primary care trusts; and what the total cost was of the employment of such directors in 2005-06;
	(2)  how many public health directors were employed by primary care trusts in 2005-06; and what the cost was.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

Residential Care

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 7 December 2006,  Official Report, column 688W, on residential care/sheltered housing, which local authorities still consider cases including spousal liability for  (a) residential care in care homes and  (b) sheltered housing.

Ivan Lewis: Sections 42 and 43 of the National Assistance Act 1948 the liable relatives rule give local authorities discretionary powers to ask the person's liable relatives, in effect their spouse, to make payments towards the costs incurred by the state of a person's care in a care home. The liable relatives rule does not apply to sheltered housing.
	Information about whether local authorities are seeking liable relatives payments is not collected centrally.

Resource Accounting

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review the way the system of resource accounting and budgeting is applied to NHS trusts.

Andy Burnham: We recognise the rationale behind the Audit Commission's recommendation to reverse the impact of past resource accounting and budgeting deductions made to national health service trust income and to create a central buffer to absorb the impact.
	We will look again at the case for reversing the impact of past resource accounting and budgeting reductions on delivery of financial balance in 2006-07.

Resource Allocation

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what each change which has been made to the system of resource allocation since May 1997 was; when the decision to make each change was made; and in what financial year each change was first implemented.

Andy Burnham: National health service resource allocation is based on the principle of weighted-capitation, whereby resources are distributed between areas on the basis of the relative needs of their populations.
	The weighted-capitation formula is continuously overseen by the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA). ACRA's role is to ensure equity in resource allocation. ACRA is an independent body which has NHS management, general practitioner, and academic members. Prior to each allocations round, ACRA agrees a work programme to support the revenue allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs). On completion of the work programme, ACRA makes recommendations to Ministers on possible changes to the weighted-capitation formula. Decisions on changes to the weighted-capitation formula are made prior to each allocations round.
	Since 1997 the following changes have been made to the weighted capitation formula:
	 1997-98 changes to the weighted capitation formula
	In 1997-98 two changes were made to hospital and community health services allocations:
	community health services were weighted for additional need;
	the staff market forces factor (MFF) was revised.
	 1998-99 changes to the weighted capitation formula
	In 1998-99 two changes were made to hospital and community health services allocations:
	all services were weighted for additional need; and
	the emergency ambulance cost adjustment (EACA) was introduced.
	One change was made to prescribing allocations, with the introduction of new age/sex weights.
	 1999-2000 changes to the weighted-capitation formula
	Prior to 1999-2000, there were separate funding streams for HCHS, prescribing and general practice infrastructure (GMSCL). In 1999-2000 these became a single unified allocation.
	In addition, an English language difficulties adjustment (ELDA) was introduced as a supplement to the formula, for the extra costs of interpretation, advocacy and translation services.
	 2001-02 changes to the weighted-capitation formula
	In 2001-02 an interim health inequalities adjustment (HIA) was introduced.
	 2002-03 changes to the weighted-capitation formula
	Four main changes were made to the weighted-capitation formula in 2002-03:
	a new general medical services non-cash limited (GMSNCL) component was introduced;
	the additional need adjustment in the new GMSNCL component replaced the existing additional need adjustment in the general medical services cash limited (GMSCL) component;
	the staff MFF was revised; and
	the HIV/AIDS special allocations became part of the unified allocation.
	 2003-04 changes to the weighted-capitation formula
	In November 1998, Ministers announced a wide- ranging review of the weighted-capitation formula. The main objective for this review was to contribute to the reduction in avoidable health inequalities. The review was carried out under the auspices of ACRA. The new formula replaced both the existing formula and the HIA, and has been used for the 2003-04 to 2005-06 and the 2006-07 and 2007-08 allocations rounds.
	Three main changes were made to the weighted-capitation formula for the 2003-04 to the 2005-06 allocations round:
	populations were based on the 2001 census;
	new need adjustments were introduced in the HCHS and prescribing components; and
	the staff MFF was revised.
	In 2003-04 revenue allocations were made to primary care trusts for the first time, covering three years. Prior to 2003-04 revenue allocations were made to health authorities on an annual basis.
	 2006-07 changes to the weighted-capitation formula
	The following changes were made to the weighted-capitation formula for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 revenue allocations:
	Office for National Statistics (ONS) population projections provided the population base;
	a primary medical services component was introduced into the formula following the devolution of this funding to PCTs in 2004-05, replacing the GMSCL and GMSNCL components;
	the HCHS MFF was reviewed to support the implementation of Payment by Results.
	The main resulting change was an increase in the number of zones in the staff MFF from 119 to 303 to match the geography of PCTs:
	the rough sleepers adjustment was dropped; and
	a growth area adjustment was introduced in support of the Department for Communities and Local Government sustainable communities initiative.

Responsible Drinking

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to promote responsible drinking; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Government are serious about tackling alcohol misuse and reducing alcohol-related harms. The Know Your Limits campaign focuses on young people who are binge drinkers, because research shows that 18 to 24-year-olds are most likely to drink irresponsibly and cause harm to themselves and others. It aims to ensure that sufficient information exists to help everyone to become more aware of the risks to individual health and personal safety that alcohol misuse can bring, and to make informed choices on the basis of that information.
	The campaign is designed also to reach a secondary audience of hazardous, harmful, dependent, and pregnant drinkers. These groups are being targeted through public relations and stakeholder work. Literature advising people how to drink sensibly has been produced by the Department, which targets these audiences.
	We have seen a fall in the proportion of men drinking more than the daily benchmarks on at least one day in the previous week, from 39 per cent. in 2004 to 35 per cent. in 2005.
	I am also pleased that the Drinkaware Trust has appointed as its new chair Debra Shipley, whom I very much look forward to working with as she takes the trust forward over the coming months.

Ritalin

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the drug Ritalin in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Andy Burnham: The Department has made no assessment but has asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop a clinical guideline on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This will include an assessment of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the drug Ritalin. NICE currently expects to publish guidance in February 2008.

Ritalin

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to her Department of the prescribing of the drug Ritalin was in the last year for which figures are available; and what her most recent estimate is of the number of patients who are prescribed the drug.

Andy Burnham: Ritalin is a formulation of methylphenidate hydrochloride. In 2005 the net ingredient cost of prescriptions dispensed in the community in England was 834,500. This figure does not include drugs dispensed in hospitals, including mental health trusts, or private prescriptions.
	The Department does not hold data on the number of patients who are prescribed the drug Ritalin.

Ritalin

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what her estimate is of the number of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder being prescribed the drug Ritalin;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the extent of the inappropriate prescribing of Ritalin to young people.

Ivan Lewis: Information on the number of children prescribed Ritalin (methylphenidate) is not collected.
	In March 2006, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published guidance on the use of drugs to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). NICE has estimated that around 5 per cent. of school-aged children meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, equivalent to 366,000 children and adolescents in England and Wales, but not all these children will require medication. In the year to 31 August 2006, 384,000 prescriptions for methylphenidate were dispensed in England to children aged 0 to 15 years and those aged 16 to 18 years in full time education.
	We have no evidence to suggest that inappropriate prescribing of methylphenidate is widespread. NICE has recommended that drug treatment for ADHD should only be initiated by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional with expertise in ADHD and should be based on a comprehensive assessment and diagnosis. Continued prescribing and monitoring of drug treatment may be performed by general practitioners, under shared care arrangements.
	Methylphenidate is classified under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 as a schedule 2 controlled drug. As such, it is subject to additional restrictions in its use, for example it must be kept in a secure place that meets the requirements of the Safe Custody Regulations 1973. Amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations in July 2006 brought in a standard prescription form for private prescribing of schedule two and three controlled drugs. Thus, the national data will now cover both national health service and private prescribing of methylphenidate by prescriber but not by patient.

Royal Shrewsbury Hospital

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were employed by Royal Shrewsbury hospital in  (a) 2004 and  (b) 2005.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not available in the format requested. However, information for the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has been set out in the table.
	
		
			  Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust as at 30 September each specified year 
			   Headcount 
			 2004 1,478 
			 2005 1,838 
			  Source: The Information Centre for Health and Social Care non-medical workforce census

School Nurses

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many school nurses and school health assistants were employed by Coventry Teaching Primary Care Trust in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: The information is not available in the format requested. The following table shows the number of nursing staff in the school nursing area of work in Coventry Teaching Primary Care Trust by level as at 30 September 2005.
	
		
			   Headcount 
			 All school nursing nurses 37 
			 Qualified nurses 19 
			 Other 1st level 19 
			 Unqualified nurses 18 
			 Nursery nurse 7 
			 Nursing assistant/auxiliary 11 
			  Notes: 1. Data for school nursing nurses has only been identified separately from 2004. 2. Coventry Teaching Primary Care Trust did not report any data for school nursing nurses in 2004.  Source: The Information Centre for Health and Social Care Non-Medical Workforce Census.

School Nurses

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 6 December 2006,  Official Report, column 568W, on school nurses, when the decision was made that the Choosing Health commitment would require the majority of school nurses to have a school nursing qualification by 2010.

Rosie Winterton: A recommendation was made as part of the chief nursing officer's review of the nursing, midwifery and health visiting contribution to vulnerable children and young people published in August 2004, and subsequently taken forward in Choosing Health in November 2004. Through Choosing Health we are providing new funding so that by 2010 every primary care trust, working with children's trusts and local authorities, will be resourced to have at least one, full-time, qualified school nurse working with each cluster or group of primary schools and its related secondary school, taking account of health needs and school populations.

School Nurses

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS hospital and community health services qualified nursing and midwifery staff, excluding agency staff, working in the school nursing area of work were working in England in each year since 1988 by  (a) headcount and  (b) full-time equivalent, using the same methodology as was used in the answer to the hon. Member for the City of York (Hugh Bayley), of 21 May 1996,  Official Report, columns 87-88, on school doctors and nurses.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of school nurses was not collected centrally between 1995 and 2003.
	Collections done between 1988 and 1994 were collected by pay scale, while the current methodology collects staff numbers by occupation code. Therefore, the two collections are not directly comparable.
	The role of nurses in schools has changed since 1994 and the introduction of other health care professionals, such as assistant practitioners and counsellors, into schools has allowed school nurses to concentrate on their modern role.

Sexually Abused Children

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which projects are funded by primary care trusts to support children who have experienced sexual exploitation.

Ivan Lewis: There is no central record of primary care trust (PCT) funding for projects to support children who have experienced sexual abuse and/or sexual exploitation. Given the restructuring of PCTs and strategic health authorities (SHAs) over the past year, it is unlikely that this information could be obtained directly from PCTs at the moment.
	However, there will be PCTs that do contribute to the specific funding of projects such as the sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) which are funding jointly by the police and health service locally and involve voluntary sector partnerships.
	The statutory health services for children will also have in contact with them children who have been sexually abused and exploited for example through CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health services). In addition, the Department provides funding to the voluntary sector through its section 64 grant and the Department of Health has recently distributed 12 million capital funding for 2006-07 to PCTs.
	The joint Department of Health and National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) victims of violence and abuse prevention programme (VVAP) is currently completing a programme of research which will be used to develop national service guidelines for child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation during 2007. These will be disseminated to PCTs and other health organisations.

Side Effects

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of hospital admissions were caused by side effects from prescribed medication in each of the last three years; and what estimate she has made of the cost to the NHS of treating patients affected by such side effects in each year.

Andy Burnham: The most recent estimate of the burden of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the United Kingdom comes from a study published in the  British Medical Journal in July 2004. The study conducted in two large hospitals in Merseyside, suggested that ADRs account for 6 per cent. of hospital admissions. This is a similar estimate to a number of studies worldwide, including figures from the United States. The study did not differentiate between prescribed and unprescribed medicines; however the majority of ADRs were associated with prescribed medicines. The projected annual cost of such admissions to the national health service (NHS) is 466 million.
	This study highlights the importance of effective systems for monitoring and responding to issues relating to the safety of medicines, a process called 'pharmacovigilance'. This study, which was funded by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency {MHRA), underlines the Agency's commitment to improving the evidence base for pharmacovigilance in the UK. As part of this commitment to improving pharmacovigilance, the MHRA is working to strengthen and widen access to the Yellow Card Scheme for reporting suspected ADRs. Access has recently been widened to allow patients to report.

Special Advisers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of her Department's civil servants work full-time to support departmental special advisers; and what the salary is of each such civil servant.

Ivan Lewis: The Department employs one full-time civil servant to support departmental special advisers as an executive officer on a pay range between 21,156 and 28,112.

Specialist Diet Foods: VAT

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions have taken place between her Department and the Treasury on the effect of removing the VAT exemption on specialist diet foods.

Caroline Flint: No discussions have taken place between the Department and HM Treasury on the effect of removing the VAT exemption on specialist diet foods.

Speech Therapists

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 5 December 2006,  Official Report, column 389W, on speech therapists, how many speech therapists there are in each strategic health authority per head of general population.

Rosie Winterton: The following table shows the number of qualified speech and language therapy staff in England per 100,000 of the population by strategic health authority area as at 30 September each specified year.
	
		
			   2003  2004  2005 
			 England 13 13 13 
			 North East Strategic Health Authority 14 14 15 
			 North West Strategic Health Authority 13 14 13 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority 12 13 13 
			 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority 11 11 11 
			 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority 12 13 14 
			 East of England Strategic Health Authority 10 9 11 
			 London Strategic Health Authority 15 16 17 
			 South East Strategic Health Authority 11 13 13 
			 South Central Strategic Health Authority 12 12 13 
			 South West Strategic Health Authority 13 14 14 
			  Sources: 1. The Information Centre for Health and Social Care Non-Medical Workforce Census. 2. ONS National Census.

Staff Magazine

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department publishes an in-house staff magazine.

Ivan Lewis: The Department publishes a monthly in-house staff magazine called Link. The magazine is sent to all staff in the Department and its agencies.

Training

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost was of training each  (a) doctor,  (b) nurse,  (c) physiotherapist and  (d) speech and language therapist for the entire period between entering onto a degree or diploma course until full registration, inclusive of tuition, bursary and salary support costs in the last period for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: Information for England on the average cost of training each doctor, nurse, physiotherapist and speech and language therapist for the entire period between entering onto a degree or diploma course until full registration, inclusive of tuition, bursary and salary support costs are given in the table.
	
		
			  Staff group  2005-06 cost () 
			 Doctor 200,000 to 250,000 
			 Nurse diploma (bursaried) 40,225 
			 Nurse degree (bursaried) 28,410 
			 Nurse secondee (salaried) 61,255 
			 Physiotherapist 29,345 
			 Speech and language therapist (bursaried) 30,730 
			  Source:  Financial and workforce information return November 2004 and national health service student grant unit for nurse, physiotherapists and speech and language therapist bursaries.

Training Grade Doctors

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes are being proposed by South East Coast strategic health authority in hospital training grade doctor budgets.

Rosie Winterton: In 2006-07 the Department decided to issue the education and training (MPET) budget, which provides a significant contribution to hospital training grade doctor budgets, as part of a bundle of central budgets to strategic health authorities (SHAs). The bundle included money to fund workforce programmes, the quality and outcomes framework, clinical excellence awards as well as other miscellaneous programmes. This has provided the SHAs with the maximum flexibility to determine locally their own priorities, including investment in education and training.
	The MPET budget was not cut in the 2006-07 allocations, in fact, allowing for inflation, it was broadly similar to the level of funding in 2005-06. However, within the overall resources allocated, it is up to each SHA to determine their own priorities including how much is invested in education and training.
	The NHS South East Coast reports that it has agreed a reduction across all devolved central budgets, including MPET. Although the SHA has identified budgets that will receive a reduced allocation, it has not been prescriptive in terms of how the savings are made.

Turnaround Teams

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will list the hospitals which have been sent turnaround teams; and what ward closures  (a) are planned and  (b) have been implemented in the last 12 months at each;
	(2)  if she will list the bodies which are being funded to provide hospitals with turnaround plans; and how much each is receiving for this work.

Andy Burnham: A list of the national health service trusts where the Department has been informed that strategic health authorities (SHAs) have decided that turnaround support is needed is shown as follows. The Department does not hold information on ward closures at a local level.
	Hospitals make local arrangements for support and advice in producing turnaround plans. This information is not held by the Department.
	
		
			  SHA  Organisation 
			 East Midlands Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust 
			 East Midlands United Lines Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 East of England West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 East of England Hinchingbrook Health Care NHS Trust 
			 East of England Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn NHS Trust 
			 East of England East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 
			 East of England West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 East of England Bedford Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 East of England Essex Rivers NHS Trust 
			 East of England Princess Alexandra Harlow NHS Trust 
			 East of England Hertfordshire Partnerships NHS Trust 
			 East of England Ipswich Hospital Trust 
			 London Royal Free NHS Trust 
			 London The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 
			 London Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 London Mayday Hospital NHS Trust 
			 London North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 
			 London North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 London Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 
			 London St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 London West Middlesex University NHS Trust 
			 London Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 
			 London Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 London Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 London Newham University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 London Whipps Cross University Hospitals Trust 
			 London Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 North East North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust 
			 North East South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 North West North Cumbria NHS Trust 
			 North West East Cheshire NHS Trust 
			 North West Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust 
			 North West The Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 North West Morecambe Bay NHS Trust 
			 South Central Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 South Central Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust 
			 South Central Isle of Wight NHS Trust 
			 South Central North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 South Central Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 South East Coast Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 
			 South East Coast Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 South East Coast The Royal West Sussex NHS Trust 
			 South East Coast Ashford and St. Peters NHS Trust 
			 South East Coast Worthing and Southlands 
			 South East Coast Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 South West Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 South West Weston Area Health NHS Trust 
			 South West North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 South West RUH Bath NHS Trust 
			 West Midlands Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 West Midlands George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust 
			 West Midlands Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust 
			 West Midlands South Warwickshire NHS Trust 
			 West Midlands University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust 
			 West Midlands Royal Wolverhampton Hospital NHS Trust 
			 West Midlands Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 West Midlands Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust 
			 West Midlands University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Hull and East Yorkshire Hospital Trust 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Scarborough and NE Yorks NHS Trust

Waiting List Deaths

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have died while on waiting lists for treatment in the last 12 months, excluding causes of death not related to the condition giving rise to the treatment.

Andy Burnham: This information is not collected centrally.

Waiting Times

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to inform patients of the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust whose waiting times have been extended by the manipulation of waiting time figures of the options for redress available to them.

Andy Burnham: It is for the local primary care trust (PCT) and the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust to ensure that adequate systems for redress are available to patients disadvantaged by the recent waiting list problems at the trust.
	All patients formerly on the suspended list have now either been appropriately removed from the list, treated, or given a date to come in for treatment, and the expectation is that all patients will have been seen by the beginning of March.

West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will refer the reconfiguration of hospital services by West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust to the independent reconfiguration panel; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: It is for local authorities' overview and scrutiny committees (OSCs) to consider proposals for service change, as part of the consultation process. OSCs have the power to refer any proposal to the Secretary of State if they believe the proposal is not in the interests of the health service or if consultation has been inadequate. Should this happen, the Secretary of State would consider seeking the advice of the independent reconfiguration panel before a final decision was made.

York Hospitals NHS Trust

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) average and  (b) maximum waiting time for (i) in-patient and (ii) day case admissions was at York Hospitals NHS Trust in each year since 1997-98.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is in the tables.
	
		
			  In-patients provider waiting list statistics for the York Hospitals Trust since 1998, day case admissions 
			In-patients waiting for admission by months waiting 
			  Quarter ending March:  Total waiting list  0 to less than 3 months  3 to less than 6 months  6 to less than 9 months  9 to less than 12 months  12 to less than 15 months  15 to less than 18 months  18+ months  Median (weeks) 
			 1998 5,485 2,496 1,227 877 647 191 47 0 15.6 
			 1999 4,236 2,228 1,075 655 278 0 0 0 12.4 
			 2000 3,864 1,850 1,075 695 243 1 0 0 14.0 
			 2001 3,663 1694 909 654 406 0 0 0 15.0 
			 2002 3,485 1,610 947 585 343 0 0 0 14.8 
			 2003 3,745 1,822 983 583 357 0 0 0 13.7 
			 2004 3,336 1,858 993 485 0 0 0 0 11.7 
		
	
	
		
			In-patients waiting for: 
			  Quarter ending March:  Total waiting list  Less than 1 month  1 to 2 months  2 to 3 months  3 to 4 months  4 to 5 months 
			 2005 3,099 753 676 498 373 337 
			 2006 2,977 847 707 516 383 347 
		
	
	
		
			  Quarter ending March:  5 to 6 months  6 to 7 months  7 to 8 months  8 to 9 months  9+ months  Median (weeks) 
			 2005 211 148 69 34 0 9.7 
			 2006 177 0 0 0 0 8.3 
		
	
	
		
			In-patients waiting for admission by weeks waiting 
			  Quarter ending September:  Total waiting list  Less than 1 week  1 to 2 weeks  2 to 3 weeks  3 to 4 weeks  4 to 5 weeks  5 to 6 weeks  6 to 7 weeks  7 to 8 weeks 
			 2006 2,755 207 218 168 162 183 175 142 115 
		
	
	
		
			  Quarter ending September:  8 to 9 weeks  9 to 10 weeks  10 to 11 weeks  11 to 12 weeks  12 to 13 weeks  13 to 14 weeks  14 to 15 weeks  15 to 16 weeks 
			 2006 141 118 116 90 97 74 107 88 
		
	
	
		
			  Quarter ending September:  16 to 17 weeks  17 to 18 weeks  18 to 19 weeks  19 to 20 weeks  20 to 21 weeks  21 to 22 weeks  22 to 23 weeks 
			 2006 72 59 88 78 71 47 53 
		
	
	
		
			   23 to 24 weeks  24 to 25 weeks  25 to 26 weeks  26+ weeks  Median (weeks) 
			 2006 23 26 37 0 8.1 
			  Notes: 1. The format of the collection has changed since 1997 where the time bands were collected in months. 2. Time bands of patients waiting are now collected in weeks. 3. The shortest waiting time is represented by the shortest time band collected and similarly the longest waiting time is represented by the longest time band collected.  Source: Department of Health KH07.

York Hospitals NHS Trust

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent  (a) medical consultants,  (b) other medical staff,  (c) nurses and  (d) other (i) professionally qualified clinical staff and (ii) staff were employed by York hospitals NHS trust, excluding those specialties and functions transferred to the primary care trust, in each year since 1992.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The following tables are based on the medical and dental and non-medical work force census returns for 1995-2005. As the table shows, it is impossible to arrive at a clean split of staff and services in the sense that one group ceases to exist in the trust and takes up residence in the primary care trust. The tables have been supplied to show how many staff, and their work areas are in the trust and the PCT.
	
		
			  Hospital and community health services (HCHS): medical and dental staff working in specified organisations by grade and year as at  30 September each year 
			   York hospitals NHS trust 
			   1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999 
			 All staff 171 182 186 232 215 261 274 283 
			 Consultant 70 77 82 87 72 102 98 110 
			 Other staff 101 104 103 145 143 159 176 172 
		
	
	
		
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			   York hospitals NHS trust  Selby and York PCT  York hospitals NHS trust  Selby and York PCT  York hospitals NHS trust  Selby and York PCT  York hospitals NHS trust  Selby and York PCT  York hospitals NHS trust  Selby and York PCT 
			 All staff 258 10 237 30 294 30 320 39 344 42 
			 Consultant 120 1 113 14 119 15 131 18 149 21 
			 Other staff 138 9 124 16 174 15 189 22 195 21 
			  Notes: 1. Data is available for the Selby and York PCT from 2001. Some specialties and functions that were carried out by the York hospitals trust were probably transferred to the PCT at this time. 2. The data are reported for the Trust and the PCT by staff group from 2001.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census

DEFENCE

Active Denial System: US

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the Active Denial System under development by the US military.

Adam Ingram: No technical assessment of the US Active Denial System for UK use has been made by this Department.

Afghanistan

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the results of the British strategy in Afghanistan.

Des Browne: Working alongside the Government of Afghanistan and our partners from the United Nations and NATO, our strategic aim is a secure and stable Afghanistan, with a self-sustaining economy, strong institutions and broad-based representative government committed to eradicating terrorism, eliminating opium production, reducing poverty, and respecting human rights. We assess progress is being made against these objectives, especially in areas such as the development of democracy, the fostering of minority rights (87 women sit in the Afghan Parliament) and the development of a legitimate economy: for example, the International Monetary Fund estimated Afghanistan's economic growth averaged around 22 per cent. between 2002 and 2004, 8 per cent. in 2004-05 and up to 14 per cent. in 2005-06. The security situation has also developed substantially with the expansion of the International Security Assistance Force across the entire country, a development in which the British armed forces played a substantial role.

Afghanistan

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the equipment available to the armed forces in Afghanistan.

Des Browne: The deployment to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, was announced on 26 January 2006,  Official Report, column 1529-1533). Since then, as part of the routine process of reviewing and evaluating our force structure, the Ministry of Defence has received, and actioned, a number of requests through the chain of command for changes to the military capabilities and equipment deployed. In addition, we conduct more substantial periodic Force Level Reviews which examine equipment and personnel levels.
	As a result of these well-proven processes, I have announced; the deployment of some 130 troops of the RAF Regiment, 15 June 2006,  Official Report, column 67, a force uplift of some 870 troops, 10 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1131-35, the deployment of two extra Chinook Helicopters, 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 76, a new vehicle package (Mastiff and Vector) for operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and the deployment of an additional Harrier, 18 September 2006,  Official Report, column 136.

Afghanistan

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the UK Government have received, under paragraph 3.2 of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the UK and Government of Afghanistan on the transfer of detainees, any request to agree to the transfer of detainees to the authority of another state, including detention in another country.

Des Browne: holding answer 18 December 2006
	The UK Government have not received any formal requests from the Afghan authorities or third party countries to agree to the transfer of detainees from the Afghan authorities to the authority of another state, including detention in another country. Nor has the UK Government had any formal requests from third party countries for the direct transfer of detainees from UK custody to theirs.

Afghanistan

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether the requirement in paragraph 5.1 of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the UK and the Government of Afghanistan on the transfer of detainees for the UK armed forces to notify the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, normally within 24 hours, and if not, as soon as possible after, of when a person has been transferred to Afghan authorities has been complied with fully in respect of all the detainees concerned; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many individuals arrested and detained in Afghanistan by UK armed forces have been transferred to the authorities of Afghanistan since the date on which the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the UK and the Government of Afghanistan on the transfer of detainees came into effect.

Des Browne: holding answer 18 December 2006
	The Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the UK and the Government of Afghanistan on the transfer of detainees was signed on 30 September 2006. Since then, three individuals have been held in detention by UK armed forces. One was subsequently transferred to the Afghan authorities and two were released.
	Although there have been some minor procedural problems with the timely notification of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, both organisations have been informed about these detentions, and all other detentions which took place before the MoU was signed. We are working with both organisations with a view to ensuring that in future all notifications will occur in a timely manner.

Afghanistan

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent reports he has had from the Chiefs of Staff on the security situation on the Afghanistan/Pakistan border.

Des Browne: holding answer 18 December 2006
	The Secretary of State regularly receives reports on a wide range of operational matters from the Chiefs of Staff including the security situation in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops are in Afghanistan; and where they are located.

Adam Ingram: There are currently approximately 6,000 troops deployed on Operations in Afghanistan; 5,000 in Southern Afghanistan and 1,000 Kabul.
	I am withholding information regarding the number of troops deployed in specific locations in Southern Afghanistan as disclosure of such information would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our armed forces.

Agency Personnel: Scotland

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of its personnel budget for 2005-06 the Meteorological Office spent in Scotland in  (a) monetary terms and  (b) as a percentage of the total personnel budget; how much was spent for each category in 2004-05; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: It is not possible to provide the information in the format requested.
	The information that is available is shown in the following table. The information is based on average numbers based in Scotland in each of the financial years and average capitation rates used in those years for accounting purposes.
	
		
			   Staff costs in Scotland ( million)  Percentage of total staff costs 
			 2005-06 4.37 5.8 
			 2004-05 4.35 5.9

Armed Forces: Benefit Payments

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) officers and  (b) soldiers are in receipt of (i) benefits and (ii) tax credits in (A) 1, 2, 3 PARA, (B) 1(st) Battalion Grenadier Guards, (C) 1(st) and 2(nd )Battalion the Royal Green Jackets, (D) 1(st) Battalion the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment, (E) 9/12 Lancers and (F) 1(st) and 3(rd) Regiments Royal Horse Artillery.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence does not hold details of the number of officers and non-commissioned ranks who are entitled to State benefits or tax credits. It is an individual responsibility for a Service person to determine if he or she is entitled to such benefits and whether or not they wish to submit a claim.

Armed Forces: Casualty Reporting

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the exercise to collate and reconcile data on casualties which occurred in Afghanistan before 1 January to be completed.

Adam Ingram: The MOD is committed to openly publishing casualty statistics on the number of service personnel killed and wounded on operations. Information on casualties sustained since January 2006 in Afghanistan is available on our website.
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets
	Since 28 October 2006 we have been able to provide data on the personnel admitted to medical facilities as a result of disease, as well as for non-battle injury. This additional reporting has been brought about by improvements in tracking of this category of personnel, and brings the reporting of statistics for casualties in Afghanistan into line with reporting for casualties in Iraq.
	Furthermore, since 28 October 2006 improvements in the way the data is recorded in theatre, collated, and analysed back in the UK have made it possible for updates to be provided every two weeks, two weeks in arrears, rather than monthly, one month in arrears.
	Historic data on casualties which occurred in Afghanistan before 1 January 2006 have now been collated and are currently being reconciled. I will write to the hon. Member when this exercise has been completed.

Armoured Vehicle Training

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for improving armoured vehicle training; and what budget has been allocated for such training.

Adam Ingram: The protection of our forces remains a top priority and improvements in armoured fighting vehicles training continue to be made following my written ministerial statement of 15 June 2006,  Official Report, column 14WS, that the Department would be seeking alternatives to the Private Finance Initiative as a means of securing improvements in the delivery of this training.
	Recent improvements in armoured vehicle training have included the introduction into service of a new 120mm Live Crew Gunnery trainer (Sub Calibre Device) for Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank in June 2006 and an improved Warrior Gunnery Turret trainer that is due to enter service in February 2007. In addition, the Defence Procurement Agency is exploring options for an Enhanced Capability for Armoured Training Systems (ECATS) programme which includes determination of the cost boundaries.
	About 50 new vehicles, plus training support, are also being provided to meet the pre-deployment training demands for new vehicles in theatre. I can confirm that, following the statement made on the 24 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 74-76WS, refers a pool of about 300 vehicles to be used only on operations is being created including VECTOR, MASTIFF and BULLDOG with a proportion being retained to support pre-deployment training. This pool of vehicles will be resourced from the Conflict Prevention Fund.

Army Air Corps

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times each aircraft type in the Army Air Corps has been cannibalised in the last 12 months.

Adam Ingram: The number of cannibalisations involving aircraft operated by the Army Air Corps within the Joint Helicopter Command Forward Fleet is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Aircraft Type  December 2005  January 2006  February 2006  March 2006  April 2006  May 2006 
			 Apache Attack Helicopter 19 22 14 15 10 18 
			 Lynx AH 79 40 33 21 22 13 13 
			 Gazelle 5 7 3 6 8 5 
			 A109 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Islander 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Defender 4000 0 0 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Aircraft Type  June 2006  July 2006  August 2006  September 2006  October 2006  November 2006 
			 Apache Attack Helicopter 22 30 20 14 42 33 
			 Lynx AH 79 15 14 44 22 21 41 
			 Gazelle 3 10 0 0 0 0 
			 A109 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Islander 0 0 2 1 3 2 
			 Defender 4000 0 0 0 0 2 1 
		
	
	The figures shown in the table refer to individual instances of cannibalisation as opposed to the number of aircraft involved. All instances of cannibalisation are authorised and undertaken in accordance with clearly defined regulations. The term 'cannibalisation' can refer to the removal of single or small numbers of components, of any size. It does not necessarily refer to the wholesale utilisation of capital components or airframes.

Atomic Weapons Establishment

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the projected total cost is of the capital programme at the Atomic Weapons Establishment from 2005 to 2025.

Des Browne: Additional investment averaging some 350 million per annum over the years 2005-06 to 2007-08 was announced last year. As was made clear in the White Paper (CM 6994) on the Future of the UK's nuclear deterrent (at para. 5-13), spending plans for subsequent years will be set as part of the Government's Spending Review process.

Atomic Weapons Establishment

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the projected average annual cost is of operating the Atomic Weapons Establishment from 2007 to 2055.

Des Browne: I have nothing further to add to paragraph 5-13 of the White Paper (Cm 6994) on the future of the UK's nuclear deterrent, which was published on 4 December.

Atomic Weapons Establishment

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department expects to complete the major capital programme at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

Des Browne: The investment programme at the Atomic Weapons Establishment is aimed at sustaining the capabilities needed to ensure we can maintain the existing warhead for as long as necessary and to enable us to develop a replacement warhead if that is required. Investment at AWE will continue as long as these capabilities are required.

Bonuses

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2006,  Official Report, column 356W, on bonuses, how many of the bonuses referred to were worth  (a) over 10,000,  (b) between 5,000 and 10,000,  (c) between 1,000 and 5,000 and  (d) less than 1,000.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 18 December 2006
	The information requested will take time to collate. I will therefore write to the hon. Member once this work has been completed and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Chief of the General Staff: Briefing Group

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the July 2006 meeting of the Chief of the General Staff's briefing group.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 19 December 2006
	There is no record of the Chief of the General Staff having attended a 'briefing group' in July 2006.

Chorley Territorial Army Centre

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether the kitchens at the Chorley Territorial Army Centre have been condemned;
	(2)  when he expects work  (a) to begin and  (b) to be completed on the new kitchens at Chorley Territorial Army Centre.

Derek Twigg: The kitchens at the Chorley TA Centre have not been condemned. They are structurally sound and are served by correctly-certificated utilities. Much of the kitchen equipment is in need of replacement; and a survey to identify the extent of the work required was carried out on 13 December and will report by 22 December. The work to replace the equipment will commence and complete early in 2007. However, plans cannot be finalised until the survey report has been submitted.
	I will write again early in the new year with details of the refurbishment programme of work.

Cluster Munitions

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which officials from his Department will be attending the conference to discuss a future cluster munition treaty in Oslo on 21 to 23 February 2007.

Adam Ingram: We have not yet received any invitation to the meeting in Oslo. We will consider any invitation carefully, including the nature of UK participation.

Cluster Munitions

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with  (a) EU counterparts and  (b) Cabinet colleagues on the Norwegian conference to discuss a future treaty on cluster munitions which will take place on 21 to 23 February 2007 in Oslo.

Adam Ingram: There have been no discussions at this level. However, FCO/MOD/DFID officials have continued with interdepartmental discussions on the wider issue of cluster munitions.
	The UK's preferred option, as advocated by the UN secretary-general, is to continue our action within the existing framework of the Conference on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW); that is where our focus lies, and that is where the main users' and producers' focus lie.
	We will consider carefully any invitation we receive to discuss cluster munitions, but the Norwegians have yet to clarify their concept and a process for any further work on cluster munitions outside of the CCW.

Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will reply to the letter of 5 October (Your Ref: MC05590/2006), from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 4 December 2006
	I replied to the hon. Member on 20 December.

Defence Contracts

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will exercise the Government's special shareholder rights in Devonport Management Ltd. to enable that company to compete freely for defence contracts following his recent discussions with Halliburton Inc; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Devonport Royal Dockyard is a strategic asset that plays a direct role in maintaining the UK's nuclear deterrent. The Government require assurance that any prospective change of ownership of Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd. (DRDL) or any new influence or control should not adversely affect the essential security interests of the UK. On this basis the Government need to assess whether the planned separation of KBR from Halliburton would be acceptable. MOD is now in active discussion with KBR to ensure that the UK's essential security interests are protected. The ability for Devonport Management Ltd. to bid freely for defence contracts is a key element of these interests.

Defence Export Services Organisation

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff are employed by each Defence Export Services Organisation office outside the UK.

Adam Ingram: Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) staff employed in offices overseas are listed in the following table. In addition, staff employed in support of equipment projects in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, where the cost of these staff are met by the customer governments, are included in the second table.
	
		
			  Country  Staff( 1) 
			 Oman 3 
			 Chile 3 
			 Japan 2 
			 Saudi Arabia 1 
			 Kuwait 2 
			 Qatar 1 
			 UAE 2 
			 India 5 
			 South Korea 3 
			 Malaysia 5 
			 Greece 2 
			 Brunei 2 
			 Singapore 1 
			 Australia 2 
			 Turkey 1 
			 South Africa 1 
			 Romania 2 
			 Vietnam 1 
			 Brazil 1 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 1 
			 Libya 1 
			 (1) Part-time staff are counted as whole 
		
	
	
		
			  Project office  Staff 
			 Saudi Arabia 68 
			 Kuwait 2

Defence Export Services Organisation

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which states were identified as priority or key markets in the most recent Strategic Market Analysis carried out by the Defence Export Services Organisation.

Adam Ingram: The Defence Export Services Organisation's (DESO) Key Markets for 2005 were as follows:
	 Priority Markets:
	Greece, India, Japan, Malaysia, Oman, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, USA.
	 Other Key Markets:
	Algeria, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, UAE.
	A country will only be considered for DESO's Key Markets list if its inclusion is entirely consistent with the Government's foreign and security policy. Inclusion in the list does not, however, mean that an Export Licence would be granted for all military equipment. I am withholding information for 2006 on the grounds that its release would prejudice UK commercial interests.

Departmental IT

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many departmental computer stations were affected in April and May 2004 by the Sasser worm.

Derek Twigg: All information assurance incidents, including computer and network virus and worm infections like Sasser are recorded in the MOD Incident Response and Alerting Database.
	There are no reported instances of MOD computers having been affected by the Sasser worm during the period in question.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many value-for-money exercises on the use of  (a) management consultants and  (b) professional advisers were conducted by his Department in each of the last five years for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The total number of value for money exercises the Ministry of Defence has conducted on the use of management consultants and professional advisors in the last five years is not held centrally and could be only at disproportionate cost.
	However, it is a requirement that before any engagement of management consultants or professional advisers within the Department, there is close scrutiny whereby managers have first to consult internally to ensure that the expertise is not available. Once this avenue has been explored, managers must raise a full business case explaining why there is a requirement to procure the work. The business case must state the impact of not doing the work and include a value for money assessment.
	Departmental guidance makes it clear that external assistance should be used only when all other options for getting the task completed internally have been considered and rejected.
	With effect from 1 April 2006 arrangements have been introduced across the Department to tighten up the process of procuring consultancy even further, to ensure that MOD's internal consultancy resources are considered before engaging external assistance.
	The same principles apply to buying in external assistance as apply to buying any other goods or services for the MOD. These include securing best value for money; ensuring probity and accountability; enabling competition wherever possible; and ensuring compliance with the relevant provisions of UK and EU law.

Ex-servicemen: Falklands War

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will increase the level of support for veterans of the Falklands War.

Derek Twigg: The Government are committed to providing excellent support for all veterans with problems arising from their service in the armed forces, irrespective of the theatre in which they served; there have been no unique needs identified among those who served in the Falklands Conflict which would lead us to introduce arrangements specifically for them.
	The support provided includes:
	excellent resettlement support;
	generous pension and compensation benefits;
	a wide range of welfare support services which includes:
	specific welfare support when an individual is seriously injured or bereaved;
	advice, guidance and practical help to War Pensioners and War Widows(ers) through the War Pensions Welfare Service; and a signposting service to veterans more widely through the Veterans Agency Helpline and website which cover the range of issues affecting veterans.
	The MOD continues to develop improved services where gaps are identified, for example in the provision of mental health services that meet the particular needs of veterans. Such improvements are for the benefit of all veterans.
	Veterans of the Falklands Conflict will have a key role to play in the commemorations of the 25th anniversary of the Falklands Conflict next year and we are working closely with veterans' associations as we develop our plans.

Ex-servicemen: Glasgow

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans badges have been allocated to ex-service personnel in the Glasgow, South-West constituency since April 2005.

Derek Twigg: The information is not held in the format requested and the Veterans Agency cannot identify those ex-service personnel in Glasgow, South-West constituency who have been issued with a lapel badge. However, we can identify from our database that a total of 1,521 lapel badges were issued to ex-service personnel in Glasgow in respect of the period April 2005 to date. Overall the total number of badges issued to date is 346,424.

Ex-services Personnel: Welfare Support

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support his Department  (a) provides directly and  (b) gives to third parties for the provision of welfare support services for ex-service personnel.

Derek Twigg: In addition to the high quality resettlement, pension and compensation provisions for those leaving the armed forces, the MOD provides a range of welfare support services for ex-service personnel including the War Pensioners Welfare Service which can offer advice, guidance and practical help to War Disablement Pensioners and War Widows/Widowers. In cases of death in service, the bereaved family is allocated a visiting officer by the services to help the family and act as a link to the various civilian, charitable and other service support agencies. The Veterans Agency Helpline and website also provide a signposting service for all ex-service personnel and their relatives, offering advice on a range of issues affecting veterans.
	The support MOD gives to third party organisations in providing welfare support to ex-service personnel includes funding towards the War Widow/ers Pilgrimage Scheme and the Polish Ex-Servicemen/Servicewomen Grant in Aid scheme both of which are managed by the Royal British Legion. Under the War Pensions Scheme, the MOD also funds the individual costs of war pensioners undergoing remedial treatment at treatment centres run by the Ex-Service Mental Welfare Society (Combat Stress) for conditions related to their individual pensioned disablement. Through the Veterans Challenge Fund, the Department also funds a number of projects run by service charities and others designed to improve the information available to service leavers on help available or, more directly, to meet welfare needs in areas such as homelessness.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent by his Department and its associated public bodies in order to achieve Gershon efficiency savings; whether these costs have been included in reporting headline efficiency savings; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: Information on how much MOD has spent in total to achieve Gershon efficiency savings is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Sir Peter Gershon's independent report into public sector efficiency did not require that efficiencies be recorded net of upfront investment costs and MOD has followed this advice.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much efficiency savings have been made in his Department and agencies as a result of the Gershon review; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence has a target of 2.8 billion of annual efficiency gains by the end of the three year spending review 2004 period. Details of progress towards this target have been published in the Ministry of Defence autumn performance report.

Gurkhas

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK Gurkha troops were deployed at RAF Fairford during the period that the base was operational in the spring of 2003.

Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Helicopters

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) in service,  (b) fit for purpose and  (c) available for immediate deployment helicopters there are in the (i) Royal Navy, (ii) RAF and (iii) Army Air Corps, broken down by type of helicopter.

Adam Ingram: The total number of helicopters in service with Joint Helicopter Command's Forward Fleet as at 18 December 2006 and the average fit for purpose figures for November 2006 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Aircraft type  Forward fleet  Fit for purpose 
			  Royal Navy   
			 Sea King HC4 25 16 
			 Sea King HC6 4 2 
			
			  RAF   
			 Puma HCl 24 18 
			 Merlin HC3 15 8 
			 Chinook HC2/2a 25 13 
			
			  Army Air Corps   
			 Apache AH1 38 21 
			 Gazelle AH1 52 46 
			 Lynx AH7 60 32 
			 Lynx AH9 16 9 
			 A109 3 3 
			 Bell 21 2 6 6 
		
	
	The helicopters in service with the Royal Navy's Forward Fleet and the average fit for purpose figures for November 2006 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Aircraft type  Forward fleet  Fit for purpose 
			 Merlin Mk 1 26 13 
			 Lynx Mk 3 23 13 
			 Lynx Mk 8 21 12 
			 Sea King Mk 5 11 6 
			 Sea King Mk 7 9 5 
		
	
	The number of RAF Sea King Helicopters in service and the average fit for purpose figures for November 2006 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Aircraft type  Forward fleet  Fit for purpose 
			 Sea King Mk 3/3a 17 12 
		
	
	All averages in all tables have been rounded to the nearest whole number.
	All helicopters deemed fit for purpose are available for deployment.
	All UK helicopters are deemed fit for purpose if they are capable of undertaking the required task on a given day. Helicopters are not available for tasking if they are undergoing scheduled maintenance, modification programmes or any unforeseen rectification work that can arise on a day-to-day basis. The figures do not reflect the fact that a helicopter assessed as not fit for purpose may be returned to the front line at very short notice to meet the operational need.

Infantry: Target Strength

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) establishment and  (b) strength of each Scottish infantry battalion (i) is and (ii) was at 1 April 2006; and what the forecast is for 31 March 2007 in each case.

Derek Twigg: The figures in the following tables show the strengths and establishments of the Infantry Scottish Division by Battalion as at 1 April 2006 and 1 August 2006 (the last date for which data was compiled).
	
		
			  Strengths and Establishment of the Scottish Regiment as at  1 April 2006 
			  Battalions  Establishment( 1)  Strength 
			 The Royal Scots Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland(1) 570 480 
			 King's Own Scottish Borderers Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland(1) 560 440 
			 The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland 570 470 
			 The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland 570 540 
			 The Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland 590 520 
			 The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5(th) Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland 640 440 
		
	
	
		
			  Strengths and Establishments of the Scottish Regiment as at  1 August 2006 
			  Battalions  Establishment( 1)  Strength 
			 The Royal Scots Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland 570 (2)700 
			 The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland 570 (2)500 
			 The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland 570 (2)560 
			 The Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland 640 (2)550 
			 The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland 590 (2)480 
			 (1). The establishment figures refer to the number of posts within a battalion that may be filled by Infantry personnel (officers and soldiers). Therefore, it excludes posts that are filled by attached personnel of other arms and services such as chefs, clerks, etc. Establishments will also vary depending on the particular role of a battalion; for example, armoured infantry battalions have larger establishments than light role infantry battalions.  (2 )Denotes provisional, as some records are currently being updated to reflect recent divisional and regimental infantry changes.   Notes:  1. Strength figures include members of the Regiment serving with the battalion i.e. 1 Royal Regiment of Scotland (1RRS) includes Royal Regiment of Scotland personnel posted to 1RRS. It does not include other Infantry serving with the 1RRS or 1RRS personnel posted away from the regiment. Strength figures also exclude attached Arms/Services.  2. Figures are for trained infantry officers and soldiers and include infantry full time reserve service (FTRS) personnel serving with the battalions.  3. As at 1 April 2006 the regiments formerly known as The Royal Scots Regiment and King's  4. Strength and Establishment figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. 
		
	
	The Army Manpower Forecasting process does not model or forecast to battalion levels.

Iraq

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many servicemen have been discharged from the services as disabled following the Iraq conflict.

Derek Twigg: Data for the number of UK Regular Service personnel discharged as disabled solely as a result of the Iraq conflict are not centrally held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Iraqi civilians have been detained by UK forces since the end of hostilities in 2003; and how many are being held.

Des Browne: Information on internees who have been detained at the Divisional Temporary Detention Facility has been compiled since 1 January 2004.
	Records show that up until 18 December 2006 UK forces in Iraq have interned 543 persons. 440 have subsequently been released, 103 remain at the facility; six have had their cases transferred to the Central Criminal Court of Iraq and are therefore criminal detainees, 97 are interned because they continue to pose a threat to security.
	These records do not include persons placed from the outset into Iraqi custody, or those released within eight hours of initial detention.

Japan: Former Civilian Internees

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases considered by the ex-gratia scheme for former civilian internees of the Japanese have been paid as a consequence of the change to the 20-year residency qualification; how many cases have been rejected on the grounds that the claimant  (a) was not interned and  (b) did not meet the revised criteria of 20 years; how many of those rejected because the claimant did not meet the revised criteria would have met the criteria if the period of overseas services was as a locally employed staff member was included; how many cases remain to be decided; what progress is being made in establishing the hardship fund; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: As at mid-November 2006, 120 claimants had been paid under the Ex Gratia Payment Scheme for former Far East Prisoners of War and civilian internees, on the basis that they met the 20-year residence criterion. Five claims had been rejected on the grounds that the claimant was unable to prove internment. No claims have been rejected for failing to meet the residency criterion; the nine claims that might currently fall into this category are being held pending a review of the way that the criterion is working that I will shortly be undertaking, taking account of the views of the Association of British Civilian Internees Far East Region (ABCIFER). 47 other cases remained under consideration.
	Employment overseas can count towards the 20-year qualifying period where there is reasonable evidence that the individual was expected to return to the UK. However, it does not count where there was no reasonable evidence that they would return to the UK, including cases where the individual was locally employed; this is because the close link to the UK, which is an overall requirement of the scheme, is not considered to have been demonstrated. It would be inconsistent with the fundamental principles of the scheme to allow such service to count and, were we to do so, it would have very significant financial implications for the eligibility criteria for the military side of the scheme.
	To respond to concerns that a number of those who do not qualify under the ex gratia scheme may be suffering hardship, officials have investigated the feasibility of providing financial assistance to a charity supporting such individuals. The charity has recently indicated that it is not able to accept the support offered to limitations in the terms of its deeds.

Joint Personnel Administration

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are in place to ensure Joint Personnel Administration connection to the Royal Navy ships.

Derek Twigg: For all surface vessels at sea, connection is provided to the main Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) system in the UK via a satellite link. When vessels are in port the ship-to-shore local area communications network is used.
	When a satellite connection is unavailable, as is the case with submarines at sea, the vessel's own IT infrastructure stores work locally until it can be synchronised with the main JPA system.
	Ships have been using these systems successfully since 13 November 2006.

KBR

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the significance of  (a) the flotation of KBR on the stock market and  (b) delays which recently prevented DML from securing a shipbuilding contract for Appledore shipyard for KBR's commitment to its UK defence interests;
	(2)  if he will review urgently the fitness of KBR to own and operate vital strategic defence and other installations in the United Kingdom;
	(3)  what assurances his Department has received from KBR that  (a) the UK's strategic interests and  (b) the future of DML will be safeguarded now that Halliburton-KBR are separate commercial entities; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what assessment his Department has made of the possible effects of an independently owned KBR on  (a) the UK's strategic interests and  (b) DML and its Appledore and Devonport facilities;
	(5)  what assessment his Department has made of the impact of KBR splitting from Halliburton on  (a) the future carrier programme,  (b) the Vanguard class submarine overhaul and the refit of HMS Victorious and  (c) the ongoing naval base review; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 5 December 2006
	Devonport Royal Dockyard is a strategic asset that plays a direct role in maintaining the UK's nuclear deterrent. The Government require assurance that any prospective change of ownership of Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd (DRDL) or any new influence or control should not adversely affect the essential security interests of the UK. On this basis the Government need to assess whether the planned separation of KBR from Halliburton would be acceptable. MOD is now in active discussion with KBR to ensure that the UK's essential security interests are protected. The ability for Devonport Management Ltd. to bid freely for defence contracts is a key element of these interests.
	Other work which KBR currently conducts for MOD has not been directly impacted by the separation of KBR from Halliburton.
	I understand that the recent contract which DML's Appledore facility had been hoping to secure was for a commercial order.

Legal Advice

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent by the Department on external legal advice in each of the past five years.

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to his Department was of  (a) hiring external lawyers and  (b) external legal advice in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 18 December 2006
	The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mental Health

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel have been treated for  (a) post-traumatic stress disorder and  (b) other mental health problems after serving in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan since February 2004; what percentage of troops serving in each of these theatres the figures represent; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: Between 1 January 2003 and 30 June 2006, 1,897 UK service personnel (regular and reservists) who deployed to Iraq on Operation Telic were diagnosed at a DCMH with a mental health condition thought to be related to their deployment. This represents around 1.5 per cent. of personnel deployed to Operation Telic over the same period. Of this number, 278 fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This represents around 0.3 per cent. of personnel deployed to Operation Telic over the same period.
	Figures for the quarter 1 July-30 September 2006 are not yet available.
	The figures do not include any personnel who have received treatment for a mental health condition since leaving the armed forces. This is because on leaving the armed forces, or on demobilisation for reservists, it is the long established practice that responsibility for medical care passes to the NHS. To collate figures on medical treatment received by every veteran would require an examination of the records of every NHS trust (and every independent healthcare provider) in the country and could therefore be done only at disproportionate cost.
	At a time when personnel have been deployed to other operational theatres before or after deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan, it is becoming increasingly difficult to attribute a subsequent mental health condition (which in some cases might not present itself until some time after the person's deployment ends) to service on a specific deployment. We therefore have not conducted a similar collation for Afghanistan. The Department is currently reviewing its methods of collating figures on service personnel diagnosed with a mental health condition.

Meteorological Office

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the extent to which the Meteorological Office has achieved value for money exploiting synergies between its weather service and its research on climate change.

Derek Twigg: There is significant interdependency between weather forecasting and climate research and significant financial efficiencies are derived from collocation of these programmes within the Met Office. As a result the Met Office has a world leading capability in weather forecasting and climate research.
	The Met Office's Unified Model is used for both numerical weather prediction and climate modelling as well as a variety of related research activities, and shared development of the model brings huge benefits to both disciplines.
	Significant value for money is also derived by maximising the utilisation of the Met Office's supercomputing capacity. Weather forecasting requires short bursts of supercomputing capacity, allowing climate research activities to be scheduled when the supercomputer would otherwise be idle.
	Climate change research also benefits from ready and efficient access to global observational data collected by the Met Office for its global weather forecasting capability and by utilising research of atmospheric processes carried out by the Met Office's research aircraft.

Meteorological Office

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work the Meteorological Office's Hadley Centre for Climate Change Research undertakes  (a) to enable the Government to plan for the impacts of climate change in the UK and  (b) to assess the impact of climate change in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Met Office's Hadley Centre provides advice on the impacts of climate change to a number of Government Departments, including MOD and Defra. The Hadley Centre provided extensive input to the Stern Review about climate impacts and helps develop scenarios of future climate change for the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP). In addition, the Hadley Centre's model for tides and storm surges in European coastal waters helps the UK improve its plans for protecting against changes in extreme sea levels.
	The Hadley Centre also takes a lead in international science, and is central to the production of the forthcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability.
	The Hadley Centre has developed a regional climate modelling system, Providing Regional Climates for Impacts Studies (PRECIS) that is available free of charge to developing countries, enabling them to produce high resolution climate change scenarios and assess regional vulnerability to climate change. There are currently over 190 users of PRECIS from more than 60 countries worldwide.
	The Hadley Centre is expanding its programme of research into the impacts of climate change. The research has both a global and UK focus. The main areas are currently water resources, flood risk, agricultural yields, natural ecosystems, sea level rise and human health.

Meteorological Office

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets have been set for savings by the Meteorological Office; and what assessment he has made of the implications of savings measures for the office's climate change research programme.

Derek Twigg: Met Office climate research activities depend on funding from a number of sources, including MOD, through the Government Met Research and Public Weather Service programmes, and Defra.
	It is important that MOD regularly reviews its spending plans, balances relative priorities and drives efficiency in public spending. Ministerial decisions on the forward Defence programme will be taken in the first quarter of 2007, and appropriate announcements on the outcome of the planning round will be made in that timeframe.

Military Deployments

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what total number of personnel has been deployed to  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq since October 2001, broken down by (i) roulement and (ii) service.

Adam Ingram: The specific information requested is not held centrally by the Ministry of Defence. Accurate information on the total number of personnel that have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since October 2001, broken down by roulement and service could be aggregated from individual records and only at disproportionate cost.

Military Parachutists

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to introduce  (a) automatic activation devices and  (b) audio altimeters for military trainee parachutists.

Adam Ingram: There are no plans to introduce  (a) automatic activation devices and  (b) audio altimeters for military trainee parachutists. The use of automatic activation devices and audible altimeters was considered but it was determined that for military trainee parachutists the risks to safety would outweigh any benefit that these devices might provide.

Ministerial Visits

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what official visits  (a) he and  (b) his Ministers have made in England in the past 12 months.

Derek Twigg: Defence Ministers have made the following visits in England between 1 November 2005 and 1 December 2006:
	
		
			  Visits by Secretary of State, 1 November 2005 to 1 December 2006 
			  Date of visit  Place visited 
			 28 November 2005 Defence Academy, Wiltshire, Wantage 
			 20 January 2006 RAF Headley Court, Epsom, Surrey, Surrey Heath 
			 20 January 2006 Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Selly Oak, Birmingham, Birmingham Selly Oak 
			 27 January 2006 Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, Salisbury 
			 14 February 2006 Defence Academy, Wiltshire, Wantage 
			 19 April 2006 RAF Museum, London, Hendon 
			 18 July 2006 Farnborough Air Show, Hampshire, Aldershot 
			 19 July 2006 Defence Academy, Wiltshire, Wantage 
			 15 August 2006 RAF Headley Court, Epsom, Surrey, Surrey Heath 
			 15 August 2006 Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Selly Oak, Birmingham, Birmingham Selly Oak 
			 21 September 2006 Flag Officer Sea Training, Devonport, Devon 
			 27 September 2006 Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Selly Oak, Birmingham, Birmingham Selly Oak 
			 11 October 2006 Colchester Garrison, Colchester 
			 17 October 2006 RAF High Wycombe, Strike Command, Buckinghamshire., Aylesbury 
		
	
	
		
			  Visits by min(AF) 1 November 2005 to 1 December 2006 
			  Date of visit  Place visited 
			 24 November 2005 HMS Bulwark, Devonport, Devon 
			 30 November 2005 DLO Caversfield, Bicester, Banbury 
			 5 December 2005 RAF Odiham, Surrey, North East Hampshire 
			 20 December 2005 BFPO Mill Hill, Middlesex, Hendon 
			 26 January 2006 Defence Geographic Centre, Feltham, Middlesex, Feltham and Heston 
			 7 February 2006 RAF Odiham, Surrey, North East Hampshire 
			 1 March 2006 Chicksands, Bedfordshire, Mid Bedfordshire 
			 3 July 2006 DPA Abbey Wood, Avon, Bristol North East 
			 3 July 2006 DLO Ensleigh, Somerset, Bath 
			 10 July 2006 RAF Headley Court, Epsom, Surrey, Surrey Heath 
			 25 July 2006 Westdown Camp, Wiltshire, Salisbury 
			 17 August 2006 RAF Flyingdales, North Yorkshire, Ryedale 
			 17 August 2006 RAF Menwith Hill, Harrogate, Skipton and Ripon 
			 18 August 2006 Army Foundation College, Harrogate, Skipton and Ripon 
			 31 August 2006 RAF Marham, Norfolk, South West Norfolk 
			 21 September 2006 Defence Academy, Wiltshire, Wantage 
			 21 September 2006 Portsmouth, Hampshire, Portsmouth South 
			 10 October 2006 RAF Cottesmore, Rutland and Melton 
			 11 October 2006 Colchester Garrison, Colchester 
			 12 October 2006 RAF Fairford, Gloucester, Cotswold 
			 12 October 2006 HQ AG, Upavon, Devizes 
			 16 October 2006 RAF Molesworth, Cambridge, Huntingdon 
			 17 October 2006 DSDA Bicester, Oxon, Banbury 
			 15 November 2006 HQ AG, Upavon, Devizes 
			 16 November 2006 Royal Marines Poole, Dorset, Poole 
			 20 November 2006 PJHQ Northwood, Middlesex, South West Hertfordshire 
		
	
	
		
			  Visits by min(dp) 1 November 2005 to 1 December 2006 
			  Date of visit  Place visited 
			 11 November 2005 DPA Abbey Wood, Avon, Bristol North East 
			 13 November 2005 West Kingsdown, Kent, Sevenoaks 
			 18 November 2005 Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Selly Oak, Birmingham, Birmingham Selly Oak 
			 2 December 2005 PJHQ Northwood, Middlesex, South West Hertfordshire 
			 13 January 2006 Agusta Westland, Yeovil, Somerset, Yeovil 
			 13 January 2006 SME-5(th) Dorset Engineering, Weymouth, Devon, West Dorset 
			 21 February 2006 Vosper Thorney, Portsmouth, Hampshire, Portsmouth South 
			 23 February 2006 RAF High Wycombe, Strike Command, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury 
			 24 February 2006 RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, Louth and Horncastle 
			 3 March 2006 DPA Abbey Wood, Avon, Bristol North East 
			 10 March 2006 HQ Land Command, Wiltshire, Salisbury 
			 5 May 2006 DLO, Ensleigh, Somerset, Bath 
			 12 May 2006 DPA Abbey Wood, Avon, Bristol North East 
			 3 July 2006 DPA Abbey Wood, Avon, Bristol North East 
			 13 July 2006 Swan Hunter, Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend 
			 17 to 19 July 2006 Farnborough Air Show, Hampshire, Aldershot 
			 27 July 2006 DPA Abbey Wood, Avon, Bristol North East 
			 13 September 2006 Warminster Road, Bath 
			 14 September 2006 Portsmouth, Hampshire, Portsmouth South 
			 21 September 2006 MBDA, Airbus and Rolls Royce, Filton, Bristol North West 
			 13 October 2006 BAE Systems, Warton, Preston, Fylde 
			 20 October 2006 DPA Abbey Wood, Avon, Bristol North East 
			 1 December 2006 DPA Abbey Wood, Avon, Bristol North East 
		
	
	
		
			  Visits by US of S I November 2005 to 1December 2006 
			  Date of visit  Place visited 
			 8 November 2005 Royal British Legion, Pall Mall, London, Cities of London and Westminster 
			 22 November 2005 MOD Police Headquarters, Wethersfield, Essex, Braintree 
			 15 December 2005 Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester, Essex, Colchester 
			 26 January 2006 MOD Shoeburyness, Essex, Rochford and Southend East 
			 7 February 2006 Veterans Agency, Blackpool, Lancashire, Lancaster and Wyre 
			 21 February 2006 Commonwealth War Graves, Maidenhead, Berkshire, Maidenhead 
			 21 February 2006 HMS York, Portsmouth, Hampshire, Portsmouth South 
			 22 February 2006 Fleet HQ, Whale Island, Portsmouth, Hampshire, Portsmouth South 
			 22 February 2006 HMS COLLINGWOOD, Portsmouth, Hampshire, Gosport 
			 13 March 2006 HQ School of Infantry, Catterick, North Yorkshire, Richmond Yorkshire 
			 4 April 2006 Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering, Cosford, Wolverhampton, The Wrekin 
			 7 April 2006 PPPA, Bath, Avon, Bath 
			 12 May 2006 West Bromwich, West Bromwich 
			 20 May 2006 MODern Housing Solutions Call Centre, Matchworks, Liverpool, Riverside 
			 2 June 2006 Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, Richmond Yorkshire 
			 8 June 2006 Reserves Training and Mobilisation Centre, Chilwell, Nottingham, Broxtowe 
			 16 June 2006 Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Selly Oak, Birmingham, Birmingham Selly Oak 
			 19 June 2006 RAF Northolt, Middlesex, Ruislip Northwood 
			 7 July 2006 Mariners Park Care Home, Wallasey 
			 7 July 2006 Sea Cadets, Wirral, Wallasey 
			 11 July 2006 SSAFA HQ, London, North Southwark and Bermondsey 
			 24 August 2006 Royal British Legion, Pall Mall, London, Cities of London and Westminster 
			 15 September 2006 PPPA, Cheadle Hulme 
			 15 September 2006 TA Centre, Stockport 
			 6 October 2006 Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Selly Oak, Birmingham, Birmingham Selly Oak 
			 13 October 2006 Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, Richmond Yorkshire 
			 19 October 2006 Castle Point, Benfleet, Essex, Castle Point 
			 20 October 2006 Royal British Legion Poppy Factory, Surrey, Richmond Park 
			 24 October 2006 Kings College Hospital, London, Cities of London and Westminster 
			 31 October 2006 RAF Bentley Priory, Middlesex, Harrow East 
			 10 November 2006 Kirkby, Knowsley North and Sefton East 
			 14 November 2006 Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, Kensington and Chelsea 
			 21 November 2006 RAF Headley Court, Epsom, Surrey, Surrey Heath 
			 24 November 2006 MODern Housing Solutions Call Centre, Matchworks, Liverpool, Riverside

Missing Military Personnel

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK military personnel have been classified as  (a) missing in action and  (b) missing presumed dead in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan since the start of military operations in those countries; and whether these figures are included in casualty reporting.

Adam Ingram: Missing in action and missing presumed dead are not terms that are used by the MOD. The closest corresponding terms are 'missing not known (MNK)' and 'missing believed killed (MBK)', as laid out in Joint Casualty and Compassionate Policy and Procedures (Joint Service Publication 751), a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
	Centrally held data shows that since January 2001 the following numbers of personnel were initially classified as MBK or MNK:
	
		
			   Iraq  Afghanistan 
			 Missing not known (MNK) 0 0 
			 Missing believed killed (MBK) 15 15 
		
	
	There are no personnel currently classified as MNK or MBK. All those initially listed as MBK have subsequently been re-categorised as Killed in Action (KIA) or Died on Operations (DOP) as their identity has been confirmed. These are included in the fatality data published on the MOD website:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets
	The step to subsequently re-categorise individuals as KIA or DOP is necessary, particularly after such incidents as aircraft crashes, as it may be some time before the identity of those involved can be verified. In the interim period they are categorised as MBK.

Nuclear Disarmament

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the 13 practical steps toward nuclear disarmament referred to on page 13 of the White Paper CM6994, in respect of which of these steps progress has been made; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: We continue to support and have made progress on the 13 Practical Steps, agreed at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in 2000, which are applicable to the UK. These are listed in 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Final Document, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The 13 steps are:
	1. The early entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
	2. A nuclear testing moratorium pending entry into force of the CTBT.
	3. The immediate commencement of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament on a non-discriminatory, multilateral, and effectively verifiable fissile material cut-off treaty. The negotiations should aim to be concluded within five years.
	4. The establishment in the Conference on Disarmament of a subsidiary body to deal with nuclear disarmament.
	5. The principle of irreversibility to apply to all nuclear disarmament and reduction measures.
	6. An unequivocal undertaking by nuclear-weapon states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.
	7. The early entry into force and implementation of START II, the conclusion of START III, and the preservation and strengthening of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
	8. The completion and implementation of the Trilateral Initiative between the United States, the Russian Federation, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
	9. Steps by all nuclear-weapon states toward disarmament including unilateral nuclear reductions; transparency on weapons capabilities and Article Vl-related agreements; reductions in non-strategic nuclear weapons; measures to reduce the operational status of nuclear weapons; a diminishing role for nuclear weapons in security policies; the engagement of nuclear-weapon states as soon as appropriate in a process leading to complete disarmament.
	10. The placement of excess military fissile materials under IAEA or other international verification and the disposition of such material for peaceful purposes.
	11. Reaffirmation of the objective of general and complete disarmament under effective international control.
	12. Regular state reporting in the NPT review process on the implementation of Article VI obligations.
	13. The development of verification capabilities necessary to ensuring compliance with nuclear disarmament agreements.
	We have signed and ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban treaty, continued to observe the moratorium on nuclear weapons testing, continued to press for the negotiation in the Conference on Disarmament, without preconditions, of a fissile material cut-off treaty whilst maintaining our moratorium. We have demonstrated our commitment to the irreversibility of nuclear disarmament. We continue to reiterate our unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of our nuclear arsenal leading to nuclear disarmament and have undertaken several unilateral steps towards nuclear disarmament including reductions in warhead numbers, increased transparency by publishing historical accounting records of our defence fissile material holdings and reduced the operational status of our deterrent.
	All fissile material no longer required for defence purposes is under international safeguards. We continue to reaffirm our commitment to achieving the general and complete disarmament objectives of Article VI. We report regularly in a number of different formats and fora on the progress we have made under Article VI. We have pursued a widely welcomed programme to develop UK expertise in methods and technologies that could be used to verify nuclear disarmament. Finally, we produced a series of working papers culminating in a presentation at the 2005 NPTnon-proliferation treatyReview Conference. The Atomic Weapons Establishment continues to undertake research in this area.

Nuclear Liabilities

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether nuclear liabilities will continue to be financed through his Department's budget; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: The Nuclear Decommissioning Agency was formed on 1 April 2005 to take on responsibility for the decommissioning and clear-up of civil nuclear sites. As a result the Ministry of Defence transferred all its liabilities relating to civil nuclear sites and the associated values of provisions and funding for decommissioning costs over to the NDA. This is detailed in the MOD annual report and accounts 2005-06, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The MOD has retained funding to meet its ongoing nuclear liabilities for the cost of facility decommissioning and the treatment and storage of nuclear waste at MOD sites, as well as the disposal of nuclear submarine waste.

Nuclear Submarines

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many warheads in the stockpile of operationally available warheads will be dismantled as a result of the reductions in the stockpile announced in the White Paper CM6994; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: The 20 per cent. reduction in the maximum number of operationally available warheads from fewer than 200 to fewer than 160, announced in the White Paper The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent (Cm 6994) published on 4 December, will be matched by a corresponding number of warheads (ie about 40) being dismantled.

Nuclear Submarines

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the procurement timeframe is for the programme to build new Vanguard-Class ballistic missile submarines; at what stage he expects main gate approval; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin) on 12 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 395-96W.

Nuclear Submarines

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) planned service life at construction and  (b) actual service life was for each decommissioned nuclear submarine that has been in service with the Royal Navy.

Des Browne: Information on the planned service life at construction of the Dreadnought, Valiant-Churchill and Resolution Classes of nuclear submarine is not readily available. The actual service life of vessels in these classes was as follows:
	
		
			  Vessel  Actual Service Life in Years 
			 HMS Dreadnought 19 
			 HMS Valiant 28 
			 HMS Warspite 23 
			 HMS Churchill 20 
			 HMS Conqueror 21 
			 HMS Courageous 21 
			 HMS Resolution 27 
			 HMS Repulse 28 
			 HMS Renown 28 
			 HMS Revenge 25 
		
	
	The Swiftsure Class of nuclear submarines were designed with a hull life at construction of at least 25 years. The actual service life of those vessels that have been withdrawn from service is as follows:
	
		
			  Vessel  A ctual service life in years 
			 HMS Swiftsure 18 
			 HMS Sovereign 32 
			 HMS Spartan 26 
			 HMS Splendid 22

Nuclear Submarines

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the cost of developing a new design of submarine reactor with a passive cooling system that could function without relying on cooling pumps.

Des Browne: The existing pressurised water reactors in Royal Navy submarines have a passive cooling system that functions without relying on main coolant pumps.

Nuclear Weapons

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the countries that have the capability of firing a nuclear weapon that could reach  (a) the UK,  (b) Japan and  (c) Venezuela.

Des Browne: Several countries have the capability to fire nuclear armed missiles which are able to strike a range of targets around the world including the UK, Japan and Venezuela. These capabilities are summarised in Box 2-2 of the White Paper 'The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent' (Cm 6994), published on 4 December.

Nuclear Weapons

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will break down by main budget heading the costs of the new Trident nuclear deterrent.

Des Browne: Paragraphs 5-11 to 5-14 of the White Paper: The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent (Cm 6994), published on 4 December, set out our current estimate of the overall costs involved in sustaining our current independent statement. A more accurate breakdown is not yet available. Copies of the White Paper are available in the Library of the House.

Nuclear Weapons

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will prove a break down by main budget heading the costs of replacing the nuclear fleet with three submarines.

Des Browne: I have nothing further to add to paragraph 5-11 of the White Paper: The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent (Cm 6994), published on 4 December, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. At this very early stage of the procurement process, we are not in a position to break these estimates down in the way requested, for either a four or three submarine fleet.

Nuclear Weapons

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which external organisations provided estimates for the costs of option  (a) one,  (b) two,  (c) three and  (d) four, outlined in the White Paper The future of the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent.

Des Browne: The cost estimates reflected in paragraph 5-2 of the White Paper: The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrrent (Cm 6994) were produced within the MOD, with some assistance from costing experts in Qinetiq.

Official Engagements

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what  (a) his and  (b) his Ministers' official engagements were for 22 November 2006.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 29 November 2006
	The Secretary of State for Defence met with Cabinet colleagues and attended an MOD operational briefing in the morning before attending the House for Prime Minister's Question Time and the Foreign Affairs and Defence debate. The Secretary of State also had meetings with other parliamentary colleagues.
	The Minister of State for the Armed Forces held a number of departmental meetings with officials in the morning before attending a Ministerial Ad Hoc group on Terrorism. The Minister then attended Prime Minister's Question Time. He then attended an additional Ministers' meeting on Terrorism before attending the Foreign Affairs and Defence debate. In the evening the Minister attended a Defence Council reception and an Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme reception.
	The Minister for Defence Procurement held a number of departmental meetings with officials in the morning. In the afternoon, Lord Drayson gave an oral PQ answer to Lord Morris, 22 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 335-37, followed by a meeting with a representative from EADS before attending a meeting of the Lords Front Bench. In the evening Lord Drayson hosted a Defence Council reception.
	The Under-Secretary of State was occupied with departmental business in the morning. During the reminder of the day he attended the House for the Foreign Affairs and Defence debate, and had a number of departmental meetings and one meeting with representatives from the Services Families Federations. In the evening the Minister attended a Defence Council reception and an Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme reception.

Outsourcing

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will establish a monitoring mechanism to reduce the risk of outsourcing of defence business to dominant private sector companies.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 27 November 2006
	The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) recognises that long-term value for money is the bedrock of the Ministry of Defence's procurement policy, while delivering the equipment and capability the armed forces needs.
	Open and fair competition both at prime and subcontract level remains one of the key mechanisms by which we achieve this. MOD rules require procurements to be advertised in either the  Official Journal of the European Union, the MOD Contracts Bulletin or the European Defence Agency's Electronic Bulletin Board. All tenders are evaluated on the same basis and against the same award criteria.
	The DIS also recognises that competition is not always appropriate in achieving long term value for money but must be used intelligently alongside other options, having considered the nature of the marketplace. This assists in militating against the possibility of dominant private sector companies winning most or all outsourced defence business unless won in open and fair competition. A Key role of the new Defence Commercial Director is to ensure that particular companies do not achieve a dominant position that is not in the UK's interest.

Pensions

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any abatement of HM Forces service pay was made prior to 31 March 1975 for the purpose of funding pension entitlements.

Derek Twigg: MOD has applied no abatement to the pay of HM Service personnel either prior to, or since, 31 March 1975, for the purpose of funding pension entitlements. The Armed Forces Pension Scheme 75 (AFPS 75) is, and always has been, non-contributory and unfunded. The military salary was introduced in 1970 and from 1971 the Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB) began to make recommendations regarding military salary following consideration of civilian comparators.
	In 1981 the AFRPB recommended, following a Government Actuary's report, that the value of the AFPS 75 pension should be taken into consideration as part of overall earnings for service personnel during the process of remuneration comparison and in judging the appropriate levels of military salaries. As a result an adjustment was introduced by the AFPRB in making their overall pay recommendations to reflect the non-contributory value of AFPS 75 benefits as compared with the contributory pension benefits of comparator employees.

Pensions

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from what fund armed forces service pensions are paid to pensioners who retired  (a) prior to 31 March 1975 and  (b) after 1 April 1975.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence pays employers superannuation contributions which cover the future pension liabilities which are accruing for personnel while they are serving in the armed forces. The rate of the MOD contributions is set by the Government Actuary's Department.
	The actual funding for the payment of armed forces pensions comes directly from the Treasury as for other public sector pensions and is administered through the MOD as annually managed expenditure. The annual budget for the payment of armed forces pensions is contained within a single Request for Resources submitted separately from the Defence Budget and Accounts for the scheme are published annually and laid before Parliament.

Postal Services

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will reinstate free postage for letters and parcels sent to members of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 18 December 2006
	A free packet scheme was first introduced on 17 April 2003, as a temporary measure unique to Iraq, at a time when Service personnel did not have access to the welfare facilities that are now available in both Iraq and Afghanistan. When the provision of goods and services in Iraq reached the required standard, the decision was taken to end the scheme on 8 April 2004. It was later re-introduced for a period of one month before Christmas 2004, and subsequently confirmed by the then Secretary of State for Defence, prior to Christmas 2005, that the pre-Christmas free packet scheme was to become a standard element of the Operational Welfare Package.
	The option of extending the free packet scheme was again examined in September when enhancements to the operational welfare package were being considered, but personnel on the ground stated a preference for improvements to welfare telephone and internet provision above free mail. Improvements to the telephone and internet services to the value of some 2.2 million were announced on 10 October. Nonetheless, the package remains under continuous review.

RAF Akrotiri

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF officers were on duty  (a) in the terminal and  (b) at the base at RAF Akrotiri between 1700 hours on Tuesday 26 September and 0600 hours on Wednesday 27 September; and what the normal working establishment is.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 18 December 2006
	On Tuesday 26 September one commissioned officer was on duty in the terminal; however, between 1730 and 2020 hours the officer was not at the terminal but on call. A total of five officers were on duty at RAF Akrotiri, with others available on call.
	The normal working establishment for commissioned officers at the base is in the region of 50 during an average day. Out of hours, typically there are four commissioned officers on duty and others will be on call in the event of contingencies. The normal working establishment for commissioned officers at the terminal is three during an average day, and one on call, out of hours.

Records

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records are kept on the length of service, rank and pay of ex-servicemen and women who retired from the forces prior to 31 March 1975.

Derek Twigg: I can confirm that records do exist for personnel who served before 31 March 1975.
	In general, those relating to personnel who left the Army and Navy before the early 1920s are held at the National Archives where they are available to the Department and members of the public alike. Records of the first 329,000 RAF personnel who served in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) before 1 April 1918, and in the RAF (formerly RFC and Royal Naval Air Service) from 1 April 1918 are also held by the National Archives. Records relating to personnel who served after that date, who left service before 31 March 1975 are held in the pan-Government archive at Swadlincote where they are available for departmental use.
	These records contain details of postings, promotions and length of service but not normally of pay. Pay records were retained for around seven years after an individual's discharge at which point they were checked for accuracy and, if no credit or debit remained outstanding, they were destroyed.

Recruitment

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when each of the armed services last  (a) met and  (b) exceeded recruitment targets.

Derek Twigg: Overall, the armed forces last met and exceeded recruitment targets in financial year 2003-04 when they gained 23,540 recruits from civilian life against a target 23,269. In financial year 2005-06 the naval service gained 3,940 recruits against a target of 3,933, and in financial year 2003-04 the Army gained 15,260 recruits against a target of 14,493. The RAF has almost achieved target on a number of occasions, the most recent being financial year 2005-06 when it gained 1,480 recruits from civilian life against a target of 1,500. Details of individual service recruitment targets prior to 1 April 2000 are not kept on a central database.

Recruitment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruits to the infantry in Scotland there were in each of the last 12 months.

Derek Twigg: The following table shows those recruits who went onto infantry courses for the last 12 months and had been allocated to the Scottish Division by the Army's recruiting authority. Some of these soldiers may change infantry division, capbadge or may not complete training.
	
		
			  Scottish Division Infantry loading  Number 
			 December 2005 0 
			 January 2006 90 
			 February 30 
			 March 20 
			 April 30 
			 May 30 
			 June 0 
			 July 50 
			 August 60 
			 September 50 
			 October 40 
			 November 20 
			 Statistics have been rounded to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Retirement Age

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 189-90W, on the retirement age, what his Department's policy is on the application of the national default retirement age to staff below the senior civil service.

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 18 December 2006,  Official Report, column 1487W.

Royal Irish Regiment

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers serving with the Royal Irish Regiment Home Service were re-engaged at age 55 between 1 September 2005 and 31 August 2006 in each battalion.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 18 December 2006
	The information requested is not readily available in the format requested but we are seeking to establish what information might be available. I will write to the hon. Member when this work is complete and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Royal Navy Ships

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ships for the Royal Navy his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) decommissioned in each year since 1997, broken down by type.

Adam Ingram: The number of Royal Navy vessels introduced into service each year since 1997, broken down by class, is in the following table:
	
		
			  Type of ship/Year  Number of ships introduced into Service in Year 
			  1997  
			 Type 23 Frigate 2 
			 Survey Ship 1 
			  1998  
			 Landing Platform Helicopter 1 
			 Sandown Class Single Role Mine Hunter 2 
			 Inshore Patrol Vessel 2 
			  1999  
			 Vanguard Class Nuclear Submarine 1 
			 Sandown Class Single Role Mine Hunter 1 
			  2000  
			 Type 23 Frigate 1 
			 Sandown Class Single Role Mine Hunter 2 
			  2001  
			 Type 23 Frigate 1 
			 Sandown Class Single Role Mine Hunter 1 
			  2002  
			 Type 23 Frigate 1 
			 Sandown Class Single Role Mine Hunter 1 
			  2003  
			 Landing Platform Dock 1 
			 River Class Patrol Vessel 3 
			 Survey Ship 2 
			 Auxiliary 2 
			  2004  
			 None  
			  2005  
			 Landing Platform Dock 1 
			  2006  
			 Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) 2 
		
	
	The number of Royal Navy vessels withdrawn from service each year since 1991, broken down by class, is in the following table:
	
		
			  Type of ship/Year  Number of ships withdrawn from Service in Year 
			  1997  
			 Type 22 Frigate 1 
			 Hong Kong Patrol Vessel 3 
			 Offshore Patrol Vessel 1 
			 River Class Mine Sweeper 1 
			 Auxiliary 1 
			 Royal Yacht 1 
			  1998  
			 River Class Mine Hunter 4 
			  1999  
			 Type 42 Destroyer 1 
			 Type 22 Frigate 3 
			  2000  
			 Type 22 Frigate 1 
			 Hunt Class Mine Hunter 1 
			 Auxiliary 2 
			  2001  
			 Landing Platform Dock 1 
			 Type 22 Frigate 1 
			 Hunt Class Mine Hunter 1 
			 Sandown Class Single Role Mine Hunter 1 
			 Survey Ship 2 
			  2002  
			 Landing Platform Dock 1 
			 Type 22 Frigate 1 
			 Offshore Patrol Vessel 1 
			 Survey Ship 1 
			  2003  
			 Swiftsure Class Nuclear Submarine 1 
			 Offshore Patrol Vessel 4 
			  2004  
			 Sandown Class Single Role Mine Hunter 1 
			 Landing Ship Logistic 1 
			  2005  
			 Type 42 Destroyer 3 
			 Type 23 Frigate 2 
			 Hunt Class Mine Hunter 3 
			 Sandown Class Single Role Mine Hunter 2 
			 Offshore Patrol Vessel 1 
			 Landing Ship Logistic 1 
			  2006  
			 Swiftsure Class Nuclear Submarine 2 
			 Type 23 Frigate 1 
			 Landing Ship Logistic 2 
			 Auxiliary 1

Service Children's Education Agency

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many people are employed by the Service Children's Education Agency; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are expected to be in 2006-07; and what they were in 2005-06;
	(2)  how many people are employed by the  (a) Medical Supplies Agency,  (b) the British Forces Post Office,  (c) the Defence Communications Services Agency,  (d) the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency,  (e) the Disposals Services Agency,  (f) the Pay and Personnel Agency and  (g) the Defence Transport and Movements Agency; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of each agency are expected to be in 2006-07; and what they were in 2005-06;
	(3)  how many people are employed by the MOD Police; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are expected to be in 2006-07; and what they were in 2005-06;
	(4)  how many people are employed by  (a) the Defence Dental Agency,  (b) the Defence Estates,  (c) the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency,  (d) the Defence Analytical Services Agency and  (e) the Defence Bills Agency; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agencies are expected to be in 2006-07; and what they were in 2005-06;
	(5)  how many people are employed by  (a) the Defence Procurement Agency,  (b) the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency,  (c) the Defence Geographic and Imagery and Intelligence Agency,  (d) the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre and  (e) the Warship Support Agency; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of each agency are expected to be in 2006-07; and what they were in 2005-06;
	(6)  how many people are employed by the  (a) Army Training and Recruiting Agency and  (b) Duke of York's Royal Military School; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of each establishment are expected to be in 2006-07; and what they were in 2005-06;
	(7)  how many people are employed by  (a) the Defence Medical Education and Training Agency,  (b) the Defence Vetting Agency and  (c) the Veterans Agency; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of each agency are expected to be in 2006-07; and what they were in 2005-06.

Derek Twigg: Civilian and service employment figures for every Ministry of Defence agency, and the number of staff from each agency based in Scotland, are published in United Kingdom Defence Statistics 2006 tables 2.6a (service personnel) and 2.6b (civilian personnel) showing the position as at 1 April 2006. Copies of UKDS 2006 are available in the Library of the House.
	These figures can also be found on the Defence Analytical Services Agency website:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/ukds/2006/c2/table26a.html
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/ukds/2006/c2/table26b.html
	Up to date figures (as at 1 October 2006) are available for civilians only. These are regularly published in the table Civilian Staff by Agency and Location that can be found in the House of Commons Library and on the DASA website:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/publications/civagencynums/tableApr05toOct06.html
	
		
			  Table 1: personnel costs in 2005-06 and projected costs for 2006-07 
			  Cost ( million) 
			  Agency  2005-06  2006-07( 1) 
			 Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency 21.9 20.6 
			 British Forces Post Office 14.5 15.0 
			 Defence Analytical Services Agency 7.0 7.4 
			 Defence Bills Agency 13.2 12.7 
			 Defence Communications Service Agency 195.5 205.5 
			 Defence Estates 144.7 157.8 
			 Defence Medical and Education Training Agency 106.2 114.0 
			 Defence Procurement Agency(2) 208.0 249.0 
			 Defence Storage and Distribution Agency 129.5 128.8 
			 Defence Transport and Movements Agency 9.2 11.8 
			 Defence Vetting Agency 9.0 9.2 
			 Disposal Services Agency 4.5 4.8 
			 Duke of York's Royal Military School 4.1 4.2 
			 Ministry of Defence Guards and Police Service 281.2 291.9 
			 Ministry of Defence Police 159.0 164.4 
			 Ministry of Defence Guards Service 110.7 115.5 
			 People, Pay and Pensions Agency(3) 20.3 31.5 
			 Service Children's Education Agency 44.0 45.3 
			 Veteran's Agency 22.0 22.0 
			 (1) The 2006-07 figure is a forecast only, and is a best estimate based on current outturn. (2) Forecast for 2006-07 reflects the taking on of a very large team from the DLO (Technical Enabling Services). (3) In April 2006, the Pay and Pensions Agency (PPA) was subsumed into a wider People, Pay and Pensions Agency (PPPA). The personnel costs to be reported in the 2006-07 report and accounts for the PPPA indicated above reflect the increased responsibilities of the new agency.  Note: Each individual agency has supplied its own personnel costings to DASA. The 2005-06 figure is in each agency's annual report and accounts.  Source: DASA(Civilian) 
		
	
	The following formally ceased to be defence agencies at 1 April 2005:
	Medical Supplies Agency (MSA)
	Defence Dental Agency (DDA)
	Defence Geographic and Imagery Intelligence Agency (DGIA)
	Defence Intelligence and Security Centre (DISC)
	Warship Support Agency (WSA)
	The following formally ceased to be defence agencies at 1 April 2006:
	Army Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA)
	Naval Recruiting and Training Agency (NRTA)

Service Personnel

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions  (a) he and  (b) his officials have had with the Department of Health on ensuring that service personnel and their families returning from overseas are able to register easily with GPs and dentists.

Derek Twigg: Service personnel do not register with NHS GPs or dentists, as their primary health care is provided by the Defence Medical Services (DMS).
	We acknowledge that service personnel and their families who move into a new area in the UK, including those returning from overseas, often have problems obtaining access to NHS GPs and dentists in the new region. This has been one of the five major issues on the Service Families Task Force (SFTF) Tri-Service Families Action Plan.
	A joint MOD/DH Partnership Board, co-chaired by senior MOD and DH personnel, meets three times a year to monitor complex relationships that exist between the two departments and the devolved UK health departments and to explore mutual areas of co-operation. Under the umbrella of the Partnership Board, numerous other official level discussions, both formal and informal, take place as required at the national and local level, to address the health needs of Service personnel and their dependants across the entire patient care pathway.
	Primary Care Trusts are obligated to ensure that all entitled individuals have access to NHS primary care. MOD and DH are monitoring the extent to which this is happening, and will take the appropriate action if this is not the case.
	The MOD has investigated service families' access to dental treatment, and we have been advised of initiatives being implemented by the UK Health Departments that are intended to improve access to NHS dental care throughout England, Scotland and Wales. These initiatives should provide universal access within two years. The MOD is monitoring the progress of these plans.

Special Advisers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's civil servants work full-time to support departmental special advisers; and what the salary is of each such civil servant.

Derek Twigg: One civil servant is employed at the Ministry of Defence to provide dedicated support of a non-political nature to the special advisers in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers. The pay band for the post ranges from 21,320 to 31,650 per annum.

Submarines

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimates have been made of the cost of modernising the submarine infrastructure at  (a) Coulport and  (b) Faslane.

Des Browne: As stated at paragraph 5-11 of the White Paper The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent (Cm 6994), published on 4 December 2006, copies of which are available in the Library of the House, our initial estimate of the procurement costs for infrastructure will be in the range of 2-3 billion over the life of the new ballistic missile submarines. These estimated costs include modernisation of infrastructure at Coulport and Faslane to support the UK's strategic deterrent.

Sudan

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions the Government have had with NATO partners on implementation of  (a) a no-fly zone over Darfur,  (b) targeted sanction on perpetrators of the violence in Darfur and  (c) increasing areas where humanitarian programmes may operate in Darfur.

Adam Ingram: There have been no formal discussions in NATO forums concerning either a no-fly zone for Darfur or targeted sanctions. NATO has undertaken some relatively small-scale capacity building initiatives, such as staff capacity building, and provision of air lift to aid the African Union's roulement. HMG remain deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Darfur and, alongside NATO partners, continue to urge the Government of Sudan to accept United Nations assistance for the African Union Mission in Sudan, to honour the ceasefire, and to renew its political dialogue with rebel groups.

Thermal Imaging

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer dated 12 December 2006,  Official Report, column 934W on thermal imaging, what the make of the new light weight thermal imaging sight was; how many are issued at platoon level; what plans he has to increase this number; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Light Weight Thermal Imaging Sight is manufactured by QioptiQ. Currently one sight is issued at platoon level. Plans are in place to increase this number, by the procurement of over 300 additional sights.

Trident

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what environmental impact assessments (EIAs) his Department has undertaken of the  (a) deployment,  (b) infrastructure facilities required for maintenance and  (c) facilities used for decommissioning redundant or replaced parts of the Trident nuclear weapons system; and whether these EIAs have been published.

Des Browne: The Ministry of Defence has undertaken a number of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) in connection with the Trident nuclear weapons system. During the deployment of Vanguard Class submarines, EIAs are conducted whenever there is a requirement to do so, for example prior to the discharge of bilge water. Such EIAs are not published as to do so could enable deductions to be made on the operational location of the submarines and would, or would be likely to, prejudice the security of the United Kingdom.
	For the infrastructure facilities required to support the maintenance of the system, an EIA was undertaken for Faslane and Coulport entitled Proposed Development at the Clyde Submarine Base (Faslane and Coulport) Environmental Impact Assessment. This was published in May 1984. The MOD also lodged an EIA in support of the D154 Project in Devonport with Plymouth City Council in 1994. No EIAs have yet been completed in respect of decommissioned redundant submarines.

Trident

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the time it would take to procure further Trident D5 missiles.

Des Browne: As set out in paragraph 2-5 of the recent White Paper, The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent, (Cm 6994), we believe that no further procurement of Trident D5 missiles will be necessary. Copies of the White Paper are available in the Library of the House.

Trident

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the availability of  (a) project management and  (b) nuclear decommissioning expertise between (i) 2007 and 2012, (ii) 2013 and 2017 and (iii) 2018 and 2024 on projects related to Trident.

Des Browne: The Department aims to ensure that it has sufficient expert personnel to meet current and future nuclear programme demands through external recruitment, internal staff development and close involvement with industry. This includes those personnel required for the project management and nuclear decommissioning disciplines. The assessment of the likely demand for nuclear experts is undertaken in conjunction with the Nuclear Sector Skills Council who maintain an oversight of the issues surrounding the national requirement for staff with key nuclear skills, both civil and military. In addition, the MOD is represented at the Nuclear Employers Steering Group, which monitors trends at a national level to scope the likely future demand for staff.

TriStars (Spare Parts)

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any difficulties have been experienced in obtaining spare parts for the Royal Air Force's fleet of TriStars.

Adam Ingram: We have not experienced any significant problems in meeting spare demands from the Front Line to support the RAF's TriStar aircraft. Current spare part availability for the TriStar fleet is sufficient to meet operational and training commitments.
	The Defence Logistics Organisation is currently engaged with industry to develop the TriStar Integrated Operational Support (TRIOS) programme. TRIOS, which is consistent with the principles set out in the Defence Industrial Strategy, will move the focus from spares availability to guaranteed aircraft availability and bring together all aspects of TriStar logistic support. On current plans it is envisaged that a TRIOS contract will be awarded at the end of next year.

UK Reservists

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what  (a) funding and  (b) other support his Department gives to employers in supporting the UK's reservists.

Derek Twigg: The Reserve Forces Act 1996 allows payments to Reservists and/or their employers when the former are called out into permanent service. The detailed regulations are set out in a Statutory Instrument (SI 859), which came into force in April 2005. Employers can claim up to 40,000 per year to cover certain additional costs arising from their employee's absence plus, without limit, agency fees, advertising costs and certain re-training expenses.
	In addition, the SaBRE (Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers) campaign aims to win and maintain the support of employers for the Volunteer Reserves. This is achieved through a combination of highly targeted direct marketing and the establishment of a network of Employer Support Executives to focus employer support at the regional level.

Veterans Lapel Badge

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will consider extending the qualifying entitlement for the HM Armed Forces Veterans Lapel Badge to include widows of First and Second World War veterans;
	(2)  if he will consider introducing a posthumous entitlement for the HM Armed Forces Veterans Lapel Badge to allow the children of deceased veterans to receive a badge on behalf of a parent.

Derek Twigg: The HM Armed Forces Veterans Badge was introduced to provide a public mark of those who have served in the UK armed forces and are still alive; it was designed to allow veterans living in the community to be identified and to raise awareness of their number and diversity. One exception to this rule was made for War Widow(er)s who are in receipt of a War Widow(er)'s pension to recognise the unique circumstances of their spouses who were prevented from receiving their badge because of death attributable to illness or injury sustained during military service to their country. The badge is not a commemorative medal and we have no plans to introduce a posthumous entitlement more widely for widows of veterans who gave service in the First or Second World War and who died of natural causes, or for the children of deceased veterans.

War Graves

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has  (a) had and  (b) plans to have with the French Government to prevent the disturbance of British war graves in the expansion of the Amiens to Lille motorway; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: There have been no discussions between the Ministry of Defence and the French Government on this project. The UK Government take a very close interest in the management of the nation's war graves but, along with other member Governments, are represented in these matters by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).
	Although the final route for the Amiens-Lille motorway has yet to be chosen, the French authorities continue fully to consult the CWGC over the proposals and have recently repeated their assurance that no Commonwealth war cemetery will be affected by the development.
	The French authorities are also fully aware that the discovery of any remains of British and Commonwealth Service personnel are to be immediately reported to the CWGC and the local police and of the need to protect them and any associated artefacts and personal effects for possible identification and re-burial.

War Pensions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of relinking war pensions with earnings.

Derek Twigg: No assessment has yet been made of the cost of relinking war pensions with earnings.

Warships

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans have been prepared for further reductions in the number of Royal Navy vessels available for service; and whether it is intended that any should be mothballed.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 18 December 2006
	As part of the Department's present planning round, we are examining a range of proposals for the defence programme, both to enhance investment in certain areas and to reduce investment in areas of lower priority. Ministerial decisions on the forward defence programme will be taken in the first quarter of 2007 and appropriate announcements will be made in that timeframe.

Warships

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 6 December 2006,  Official Report, column 447W, on Royal Navy ships, which types of warship are at extended readiness; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: I am withholding the details of the types of warship and their state of readiness as this could enable deductions to be made that could be prejudicial to national security.

Warships

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 6 December 2006,  Official Report, column 447W, what assessment he has made of the implications for the ability of the Royal Navy to meet its commitments of the number of warships on  (a) reduced readiness and  (b) extended readiness; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Navy remains fully capable of meeting all ongoing overseas and domestic commitments, as well as retaining forces at sufficient readiness to mount a contingent medium-scale overseas deployment.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Consultants

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which 10 consultancy fees charged to her Department since May 1997 were the most expensive.

David Lammy: The following list contains the Department's 10 most expensive consultancy fees at award of contract since May 1997. Information on final contract values is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			
			 Feasibility Study into the formation of Culture Online 1,340,000 
			 Validation of Olympic Games Cost 255,000 
			 Review of Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPB) Programmes 224,000 
			 BBC Consultancy Requirement 205,000 
			 Study to Identify the priorities of Local Communities 151,000 
			 Olympic Games Impact Study 128,000 
			 Public Awareness CampaignDigital Switchover 100,000 
			 Review of Public Libraries Standards 100,000 
			 Review of BBC News Digital Services 96,000 
			 Evaluation of National Regional Museums 89,000

Departmental Training and Equipment

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost was of departmental training and equipment in Health and Safety DSE, referred to on page 108 of her Department's annual report; what equipment was used; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: The Department spent 4,378 in 2005-06 on a computer based software package to train staff in the use of DSE equipment.
	Records of the purchase of miscellaneous items of equipment e.g. wrists records and document holders, through the general office stationery budget are held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Humanitarian Assistance Unit

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the role of the Humanitarian Assistance Unit is; on what basis the unit is located in her Department; what projects the unit has funded to date; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: My role as Minister for Humanitarian Assistance is to ensure that the needs of British victims of major emergencies and of their families are understood and properly considered within Government in building preparedness for and responding to major emergencies, and to represent the Government and explain their policies when dealing with victims and their families.
	The Humanitarian Assistance Unit supports me in that role by leading three areas of work. First, it co-ordinates aftercare for victims of recent emergenciesoffering a direct point of contact within Government, organising memorial and commemorative events, learning lessons from victims' experiences, and funding the 7 July Assistance Centre. Secondly, it assists emergency planning ahead of future incidentsworking with other parts of central Government and alongside local responders to find ways to improve existing services. Finally it supports local responders in the response to an emergencyproviding a link for local responders to advice and support from central Government.
	In the first year of the unit's existence, funding has been provided: to support the 7 July Assistance Centre; for an independent evaluation of that centre; to produce non-statutory guidance for emergency responders on establishing Humanitarian Assistance Centres; to commission a review of academic literature and best practice on how to meet people's needs in an emergency; and for events to commemorate the first anniversary of the 7 July bombings and to remember those who died in terrorist attacks overseas in 2005.

Licensing Act

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effects of the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 on  (a) consumers,  (b) licensees and  (c) community groups.

Shaun Woodward: Evidence from our own monitoring and from the trade suggests that, as a result of the Licensing Act 2003, licensees are now able to offer a greater range of opening hours to meet consumer demand. In addition, the survey of smaller music venues published on 7 December 2006 suggests that many premises previously restricted to operating under the two in a bar rule can now offer a greater choice of live music for consumers by putting on more than two musicians.
	Community groups should benefit from the increasing number of local authorities which are licensing public land for those putting on licensable activities. We are aware that some community groups are finding it difficult to adjust to the new regime and we are looking at how measures announced in the Department's simplification plan can help to address their concerns.
	It remains early days and the Government's programme of evaluation of the impact of reform will continue. I recently received a copy of the Independent Fees Panel's Report and look forward to seeing what it has to say about the impact on fee payers, including licensees and community groups.

Licensing Act

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether restrictions are in place on the eligibility of  (a) hon. Members and  (b) councillors to make representations on behalf of the people they represent on applications under the Licensing Act 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: Members of Parliament and local councillors may make representations on behalf of anyone who is an interested party under the Licensing Act 2003. This includes a person living in the vicinity of a premises. A councillor making a representation, who is also a member of the licensing committee, would be expected to disqualify themselves from any involvement in the decision-making process affecting the premises licence.
	Councillors are subject to the code of conduct for local authority members. The code includes rules on members' personal and prejudicial interests. A member has a prejudicial interest in an issue when they have an interest which a member of the public would reasonably regard as so significant that it would be likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest. A member with a prejudicial interest in an issue is required to withdraw from the meeting where it is being discussed. The Department for Communities and Local Government is currently reviewing the code of conduct, and intends to consult shortly on a draft revised code. This will include proposed changes to the rules on prejudicial interests which will support members' advocacy role.
	Councillors also have a duty to act in the interests of all of their constituents. Their role as a community advocate must therefore be balanced with their ability to represent specific interests.

London Olympics

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made with remediation work on the contaminated land on the Olympic site; what the role is of the Olympic Delivery Authority in the remediation process; and what role the London Development Agency is taking in the process.

Tessa Jowell: An expert team has been carrying out soil investigation work on the Olympic Park site over recent months. They have now investigated the majority of the land that is currently available, which excludes land still occupied by businesses and residents. Site investigations will continue across the remainder of the Olympic Park site before the full remediation work starts in 2007.
	Once all contracts have novated across from the London Development Agency (LDA), the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) will take full responsibility for all remediation works. The LDA will continue to take responsibility for ensuring vacant possession of the Olympic Park land and the ODA will work alongside the LDA on an ongoing basis.

London Olympics

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the cost of remediation on the Olympic site.

Tessa Jowell: The cost of remediation and demolition on the Olympic site is estimated by the Olympic Delivery Authority to be 200 million. As I indicated to the Select Committee on 21 November, this work is in progress.

London Olympics

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what contaminants the Olympic Delivery Authority has identified on the Olympic site;
	(2)  what advice she received from Jack Lemley, outgoing chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority, about chemical contamination of the Olympic site; and what action she took on the basis of this advice.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 7 December 2006
	In October, I received from Jack Lemley his views on the progress of the Olympic delivery programme, drawing attention to the discussion at the Olympic Delivery Authority's (ODA) board meeting on 28 September of land remediation on the Olympic Park site. I was already aware of the ODA board discussions and the progress of ongoing site investigations within the park.
	As Sir Roy McNulty, acting chair of the ODA, said in his statement issued on 5 December, the Stratford site is complex and much of the land will need remediating before construction. This was known from the very start of the bid process. For that reason, the London Development Agency (LDA) have had an expert team carrying out soil investigation work over recent months.
	At the September ODA board meeting chaired by Mr. Lemley, there was a detailed presentation, which included an update from the LDA's contractors currently on site. This presentation set out for the board the site investigations undertaken to date. These investigations have identified a variety of contaminants, such as metals and hydrocarbons, which are common on sites that have this kind of former industrial use. The expert team indicated that the levels of contamination assessed to date were in line with expectations and that the time allowed for remediation appears to be adequate.
	The site investigation contractors have now investigated the majority of the land. The remaining land the ODA does not yet have access to because it is still occupied by businesses and residents who, with the exception of a very few, will be relocated by July 2007 subject to confirmation of the compulsory purchase order. The LDA, with an expert team advising, and the interim ODA team (as it was at that time), had previously identified the technologies required to tackle the contamination and have some of the best contractors available with these technologies ready to treat the soil when the site becomes available.

London Olympics

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what advice she received from KPMG about VAT and the Olympic budget; and when she received it.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 7 December 2006
	Before engaging KPMG the Department had already opened discussions within Government, in autumn 2005, on the VAT status of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). Our expectation was that ODA would be able to recover its VAT, in common with a number of other bodies which have functions akin to those of local authorities. As part of their work KPMG estimated the amount of VAT to be recovered. DCMS received KPMG's initial assessment of ODA's potential VAT costs in December 2005 and received revised estimates in March, May and August 2006. The Government are continuing to discuss the VAT status of the ODA.

London Olympics

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the occasions on which her Department has sought Treasury approval for expenditure related to the 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: My Department, through the Olympic Projects Review Group (OPRG), made the following recommendations to the Treasury for expenditure related to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games:
	January 2006: Olympic Park Design Team
	August 2006: ODA Delivery Partner
	November 2006: Contribution to DLR Infrastructure Works
	In addition, there were various costs associated with the preparation and submission of London's bid by London 2012 which were approved by the Treasury.

London Olympics

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 99W, on the 2012 Olympics, whether the projects undertaken by KPMG identified any new costs not included in London's original Olympic bid.

Tessa Jowell: As I said to the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport on 21 November we have had to increase the construction inflation assumption to reflect changes in inflation since the bid, appoint a delivery partner whose overriding responsibility will be to keep the construction programme to time and to budget and secure greater public funding for the Olympic Village and the International Broadcasting Centre. There are also further funding requirements, not yet translated into firm costs, which are a matter for discussion in Government. These include the wider security requirements and programme contingency. In addition the Government are currently considering tax costs as part of their wider consideration of the overall budget.

London Olympics

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 99W, on 2012 Olympics, on what date her Department first discussed the cost findings of the work commissioned from KPMG with  (a) officials and  (b) Ministers at the Treasury.

Tessa Jowell: The cost review to which KPMG provided advice was overseen by a steering group of officials chaired by DCMS. HM Treasury were key members of the steering group, having been involved closely with the development of the Olympic bid since its inception. The steering group, which held its first meeting on 31 October 2005, also included membership from DCLG, GLA, LOCOG, interim ODA and KPMG. There were regular and ongoing discussions between officials of my Department and the Treasury, and across Government, about the findings of the cost review as they emerged and as they were revised as part of the ongoing work. Ministers have meetings regularly on a wide range of issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

London Olympics

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 99W, on the 2012 Olympics, whether the cost to her Department of the consultancy reports is included within the 3.3 billion figure she has recently given for the cost of the 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: The cost to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport of the consultancy reports referred to in the answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 99W, is not included in the 3.3 billion figure. As I said to the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport on 21 November, the 3.3 billion relates to the Olympic Park.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many senior positions in non-departmental public bodies for which her Department is responsible are vacant; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what her Department's target time is for filling vacant senior positions in non-departmental public bodies for which her Department is responsible; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: Senior executive vacancies in non-departmental public bodies for which DCMS is responsible are a matter for the bodies themselves.
	Forty-eight public appointments to the NDPBs for which DCMS is responsible are vacant, and are either under discussion or in the process of being filled. There is no prescribed target time for filling vacancies, and the length of the appointments procedures can vary considerably depending on the role and the body involved. However, the Cabinet Office guidance, Making and Managing Appointments, a Guide for Departments, suggests that most Departments consider that about six to nine months is the minimum lead time for most appointments.

Sport England

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) Government and  (b) Opposition right hon. and hon. Members Sport England has (i) mentioned on its website and (ii) invited to the launch of events where it is one of the sponsors since the start of 2006.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 11 December 2006
	A website search showed that 23 Members (20 Labour, two Conservative and one Liberal Democrat) were mentioned on the Sport England website during 2006. The following number of Members were invited to the three events that Sport England financially sponsored since the start of 2006: 71 Labour, 56 Conservative, 20 Liberal Democrat, six Labour Cooperative and one Independent.

Terrorism (Victims)

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she  (a) has had and  (b) plans to have with ministerial colleagues in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the charitable fund to help British victims of terrorism.

Tessa Jowell: My Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have worked closely together on the establishment of the charitable fund, and will continue to do so after its launch.

Terrorism (Victims)

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2006,  Official Report, column 816W, on victims of terrorism, if she will make a statement on the nature of the interim arrangements in place for the charitable fund to help British victims of terrorism;
	(2)  how many applications for compensation from the charitable fund to help British victims of terrorism since March 2006 have been made by UK victims of terrorism overseas; and whether any payments have been made to such victims;
	(3)  how many payments have been made to victims of terrorism from the charitable fund to help British victims of terrorism since March 2006.

Tessa Jowell: Payments from the charitable fund have been made to all those UK citizens bereaved or seriously injured in incidents since March 2006 that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office class as terrorist acts.
	Eighteen payments of 3,000 have been made. Payments from the charitable fund are made immediately following the incident, without the need for an application process. Payments are offered through the British Red Cross to those whom the Foreign Office confirm have been bereaved or seriously injured and the Red Cross is then reimbursed by my Department.

TV Licence

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many individuals purchased black and white television licences in each ITV television region between 1 December 2005 and 1 December 2006.

Shaun Woodward: holding answer 14 December 2006
	TV Licensing, which administers the television licensing system as agent for the BBC, does not record sales of TV licences by ITV region. The BBC have indicated that the total number of black and white licences purchased by individuals between 1 December 2005 and 30 November 2006 was approximately 38,000; in addition, just under 7,000 free licences were issued to people aged 75 or over and paid for by the Department for Work and Pensions.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Airports (Security)

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 30 November 2006,  Official Report, column 897W, why the information on the number of prosecutions for incidents relating to security breaches at  (a) Heathrow,  (b) Gatwick,  (c) other airports serving London and  (d) other airports serving England and Wales is not centrally held by his Department.

Tony McNulty: The court proceedings data held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform database do not include information on the circumstances of offences and it is therefore not possible to identify prosecutions resulting from security breaches at airports. The database could not be extended to include such information without incurring disproportionate costs.

Alcohol-related Offences

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of offences against the person have been linked to  (a) alcohol abuse and  (b) use of illegal drugs in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: From the information collected centrally, it is not possible to identify those offences which are alcohol or drug-related. Such offences are not specifically defined by statute and details of the individual circumstances of offences do not feature in the recorded crime data series.
	The British Crime Survey (BCS) provides information on the proportion of violent incidents in England and Wales where the offender was thought to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. According to the latest BCS (2005/06) the offender was thought to be under the influence of alcohol in 44 per cent. of violent incidents, and under the influence of drugs in 23 per cent. of violent incidents (see table 1 for figures for previous years).
	The proportion of other crime-related incidents where the offender was thought to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs has not been estimated.
	This information was published by the Home Office in the Crime in England and Wales 2005/06 and Violent Crime Overview, Homicide and Gun crime 2004/05 publications. This information is via Home Office websites:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0506.html
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0405.html
	
		
			  Table 1: whether offender/s under the influence of drink or drugs in violent incidents?BCS 
			  Percentage 
			   1997  1999  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			  Under influence of alcohol
			 Yes 42 40 47 44 50 48 44 
			 No 48 50 44 45 40 43 47 
			 Do not know 10 9 9 11 10 9 9 
			 
			  Under influence of drugs
			 Yes 18 18 21 20 19 18 23 
			 No 53 55 56 52 50 52 53 
			 Do not know 29 27 23 27 30 30 25

Alcohol-related Offences

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of alcohol- related violence took place in  (a) England and Wales,  (b) the Kent police force area and  (c) the North Kent basic command unit in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: From the information collected centrally, it is not possible to identify those offences which are alcohol-related. Such offences are not specifically defined by statute and details of the individual circumstances of offences do not feature in the recorded crime data series.
	The British Crime Survey (BCS) provides information on the number of violent incidents where the offender was thought to be under the influence of alcohol.
	According to the latest BCS (2005-06) there were 1,029,000 violent incidents in England and Wales where the offender was thought to be under the influence of alcohol (see the following table for numbers since 2001-02 BCS). The numbers of alcohol-related violent incidents are not broken down by police force area or basic command unit.
	This information was published by the Home Office in the Crime in England and Wales 2005-06 publication. This information is available in the Library, and via Home Office website:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0506.html.
	
		
			  Number of violent incidents where offender was thought to be under the influence of alcohol 
			   Number of offences (thousand)( 1) 
			 2001-02 1,251 
			 2002-03 1,190 
			 2003-04 1,302 
			 2004-05 1,112 
			 2005-06 1,029 
			 (1) BCS

Alcohol Rehabilitation

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the provision of alcohol rehabilitation for offenders.

John Reid: In May 2006 the National Probation Directorate (NPD) published Working with Alcohol Misusing Offendersa strategy for delivery. The strategy, which complements the Prison Service Alcohol Strategy to create a coherent NOMS Alcohol Strategy, contains a number of actions for NPD and recommendations for probation areas to improve provision, many of which are being taken forward in 2006-07. This includes NPD funding to support some best practice projects in probation areas.
	Good practice guidance has been issued to prisons to improve the consistency of alcohol services.

Arrest Rates

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the arrest rate was for crimes reported  (a) as committed by a burglar,  (b) as committed by an armed robber,  (c) as a cause of aggravated assault and  (d) by a drug dealer in the last period for which figures are available; and what the rate was in 1997.

Vernon Coaker: Arrest rates are not available and cannot be derived from recorded crime and arrest data that are collected centrally.

ASBOs

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in each constituency in each year since their inception.

Tony McNulty: ASBO data are not available at parliamentary constituency level. A table giving the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued annually, as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, by the local government authority area in which prohibitions have been imposed, up to 31 December 2005 (latest available), can be found on the Crime Reduction website at:
	www.crimereduction.gov.uk

ASBOs

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders were  (a) issued and  (b) breached in the Chelmsford local authority area in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 19 December 2006
	A table giving the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued annually, as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, by the local government authority area in which prohibitions have been imposed, up to 31 December 2005 (latest available), can be found on the Crime Reduction website at
	www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
	ASBO breach data are not available at local authority level.

ASBOs

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many antisocial behaviour orders were issued to  (a) people under 19 and  (b) people aged 19 years or over in each local authority in the East Midlands in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how many antisocial behaviour orders were breached in each local authority in the East Midlands in the last 12 months.

Tony McNulty: The available information on the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued at all courts in 2005 (latest available), as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, is given in the table by local government authority area in which prohibitions are imposed. ASBO breach data are not available at local authority level.
	
		
			  Antisocial behaviour orders issued at all courts, as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, in the East Midlands region, by age group and local government authority area in which prohibitions are imposed, 2005 
			  Number 
			  Area  Age 10-18  Age 19+  Age not known  Total 
			 Derbyshire 25 25  50 
			  Of which: 
			 Amber Valley Borough Council 1 2  3 
			 Bolsover District Council 10 3  13 
			 Chesterfield Borough Council 6 5  11 
			 Derby City Council 8 6  14 
			 Derbyshire Dales District Council  1  1 
			 Erewash Borough Council  1  1 
			 High Peak Borough Council  2  2 
			 North East Derbyshire District Council  3  3 
			 South Derbyshire District Council  2  2 
			  
			 Leicestershire 30 27 2 59 
			  Of which: 
			 Blaby District Council 1   1 
			 Charnwood Borough Council 13 9 1 23 
			 Harborough District Council  1  1 
			 Hinkley and Bosworth Borough Council 3 2  5 
			 Leicester City Council 10 10 1 21 
			 Melton Borough Council  2  2 
			 North West Leicestershire District Council 2 1  3 
			 Oadby and Wigston District Council 1 1  2 
			 Rutland County Council  1  1 
			  
			 Lincolnshire 9 9 2 20 
			  Of which: 
			 Boston Borough Council 2 3 2 7 
			 East Lindsey District Council  2  2 
			 Lincoln City Council 4   4 
			 South Holland District Council 1 2  3 
			 South Kesteven District Council 2 2  4 
			  
			 Northamptonshire 11 21 1 33 
			  Of which: 
			 Corby Borough Council 1 7  8 
			 Daventry District Council 4 4  8 
			 East Northamptonshire Council 4  1 5 
			 Kettering Borough Council  1  1 
			 Northampton Borough Council 2 7  9 
			 Wellingborough Borough Council  2  2 
			  
			 Nottinghamshire 69 58 3 130 
			  Of which: 
			 Ashfield District Council 6 6  12 
			 Bassetlaw District Council 3 1  4 
			 Broxtowe Borough Council 3  1 4 
			 Gedling Borough Council 4 1  5 
			 Mansfield District Council 7 12  19 
			 Newark and Sherwood District Council 5 2  7 
			 Nottingham City Council 40 36 2 78 
			 Rushcliffe Borough Council 1   1 
			 Total East Midlands Region 144 140 8 292

Bail Offenders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were committed by people who were on bail in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Court Proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform is unable to separately identify offenders who have been convicted of committing an offence whilst on bail, as this level of detail is not collected centrally.

Brakecare

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate his Department made of the number of people who benefit annually from Brakecare's bereavement pack before the decision to discontinue funding for Brakecare.

Vernon Coaker: It is estimated approximately 6,000-6,500 people receive a copy of the Brakecare bereavement pack a year.
	The Government are funding the Brakecare guide for bereaved families and friends in 2006 and Brakecare will be advised of the criteria and administrative procedures for future funding through the Victims' Fund.

Brakecare

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to ensure that the families of road crash victims will receive adequate information and support after his Department's funding for Brakecare's bereavement pack is withdrawn;
	(2)  if he will reconsider his decision to discontinue funding for Brakecare's bereavement pack.

Vernon Coaker: The Government are funding the Brakecare guide for bereaved families and friends in 2006 and Brakecare will be advised of the criteria and administrative procedures for future funding through the Victims' Fund.

British Transport Police

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on members of the British Transport Police were reported in each of the past five years; and how many of these assaults resulted in prosecutions being brought.

Tony McNulty: The recorded crime series collects data on the number of assaults on a constable (no injury) by police force. Assaults resulting in injury are recorded under the more general classification other wounding.
	British Transport Police have only been part of the series since 2002-03 and their data for assaults on a constable are as follows:
	
		
			   Assault on a constable 
			 2002-03 205 
			 2003-04 262 
			 2004-05 340 
			 2005-06 356 
		
	
	Data held centrally does not track individual offences to conclusion. Therefore, information on the outcome for these offences is not available.

Child Kidnapping

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were extradited to the UK from the United States for child kidnapping in each of the last 20 years.

John Reid: Since 1986, four people have been extradited to the UK from the United States for the offence of child abduction.

Child Sex Offenders

Alan Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many child sex offenders were convicted in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years.

Vernon Coaker: Data from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform showing the total number of convictions for sexual offences against children are in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of defendants found guilty at all courts for sexual offences against children  England and Wales, 1996 to 2005( 1,2) 
			   Found guilty 
			 1996 2,830 
			 1997 2,930 
			 1998 2,853 
			 1999 2,863 
			 2000 2,697 
			 2001 2,725 
			 2002 3,054 
			 2003 3,647 
			 2004(3) 3,774 
			 2005(3) 3,444 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3 )The Sexual Offences Act 2003 introduced a large number of new offences which resulted in changes in the coverage of the figures shown in this table.

CICA Payouts

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what total payout from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority he has budgeted for in each of the next five years.

John Reid: Budgets for the next five years for compensation paid by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority have not yet been set. However, provision of grant-in-aid for compensation payments in 2007-08 is expected to be set at around 205 million.

Closed Circuit Television

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many CCTV cameras are operational in  (a) the City of London,  (b) Greater London,  (c) Manchester,  (d) Liverpool and  (e) Cardiff.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office does not collect figures for the number of CCTV cameras. Given the huge number of cameras, operated by a very wide range of individuals, private organisations and public bodies, it is very difficult to accurately assess the total number employed.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letter dated 3 October 2006 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. S. M. Hashmi.

John Reid: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 5 December.

CRB Checks

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average waiting time was for a police check to be completed through the Criminal Records Bureau in the last period for which figures are available.

Joan Ryan: The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) operates to a published service standard (PSS) to issue 90 per cent. of Standard Disclosures within 10 days and 90 per cent. of Enhanced Disclosures within 28 days. For October 2006, the CRB issued 99.8 per cent. of Standard Disclosures and 86.7 per cent. of Enhanced Disclosures within PSS.
	Enhanced Disclosures require an additional level of check against local police intelligence databases. This work is conducted internally by each individual police force and the CRB publishes police force performance on its website at:
	www.crb.gov.uk

Crime Prevention (Clwyd, South)

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department has taken to tackle crime in Clwyd, South since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office does not record activities to tackle crime by parliamentary constituency but by Community Safety Partnership areas. Clwyd, South falls within the boundaries of three Community Safety PartnershipsDenbighshire, Powys and Wrexham, with the main focus of crime reduction activity mainly in Denbighshire and Wrexham.
	All Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) and Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) in England and Wales target local crime priorities through their overall strategies for crime reduction, which are also supported by detailed police basic command unit (BCU) crime reduction plans.
	Examples of activity relevant to Clwyd, South include the Home Office supporting the expansion of CCTV coverage throughout the Wrexham CSP area. The numbers of cameras in use has risen from 12 in 1997 to 90 now, and the control room has been linked to the Shop Link and Nightsafe initiatives which have targeted, respectively, small business and retail crime and violent alcohol-related crime.
	The successful Targeted Policing Initiative on the Wrexham Industrial Estate, which has resulted in reductions in crime and which has been showcased across Europe as a best practice model, has been expanded locally.
	Wrexham and Denbighshire CSPs have Building Safer Communities budgets of 181,204 and 131,835 respectively. In addition, both CSPs have additional budgets of 25,000 for antisocial behaviour co-ordinators.

Crime Statistics

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reported crimes there were in  (a) Cornwall,  (b) the South West and  (c) England and Wales in (i) 1992, (ii) 1997, (iii) 2002 and (iv) 2006, broken down by type of crime.

Tony McNulty: Available information is given in the following tables. The latest data are for financial year 2005-06. Data for Cornwall were not collected in 1992 or 1997.
	
		
			  Table 1: Recorded crime by offence group for Cornwall (combined Caradon, Carrick, Kerrier, North Cornwall, Penwith and Restormel CDRPs) 
			   2002-03  2005-06 
			 Violence against the person  6,197 
			 Sexual offences 389 456 
			 Robbery 97 93 
			 Burglary 4,254 3,525 
			 Theft and handling 15,087 12,077 
			 Fraud and forgery 1,605 987 
			 Criminal damage 8,553 9,187 
			 Drug offences 1,303 1,130 
			 Other offences 402 417 
			 Total crime 38,317 34,069 
			  Note: Recorded crime by CDRP not available in 1992 and 1997 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Recorded crime by offence group for South West region 
			   1992  1997 
			 Violence against the person 14,798 21,930 
			 Sexual offences 2,340 2,799 
			 Robbery 2,197 2,690 
			 Burglary 107,476 77,594 
			 Theft and handling 247,909 188,575 
			 Fraud and forgery 16,824 9,463 
			 Criminal damage 50,483 55,753 
			 Drug offences 1,261 1,705 
			 Other offences 1,859 2,123 
			 Total crime 445,147 362,632 
			  Notes: 1. Prior to April 1998, 'trafficking in controlled drugs' was the only drug offence included in the recorded crime series. 2. The introduction of the revised counting rules in April 1998 expanded offence coverage. This included the addition of 'possession of controlled drugs' and 'other drug offences'. These data are not comparable with later years. 
		
	
	
		
			   2002-03  2005-06 
			 Violence against the person  85,715 
			 Sexual offences 4,184 5,112 
			 Robbery 5,508 3,634 
			 Burglary 68,173 48,183 
			 Theft and handling 193,808 156,925 
			 Fraud and forgery 28,890 19,312 
			 Criminal damage 84,891 95,744 
			 Drug offences 10,404 13,184 
			 Other offences 4,782 5,567 
			 Total crime 467,403 433,376 
			  Note: Numbers of recorded crime were affected by changes in reporting and recording following the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These data are not comparable with earlier years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Recorded crime by offence group for England and Wales 
			   1992  1997 
			 Violence against the person 201,777 250,827 
			 Sexual offences 29,528 33,165 
			 Robbery 52,894 63,072 
			 Burglary 1,355,274 1,015,075 
			 Theft and handling 2,851,638 2,164,952 
			 Fraud and forgery 168,600 134,398 
			 Criminal damage 892,623 877,042 
			 Drug offences 13,809 23,153 
			 Other offences 25,574 36,643 
			 Total crime 5,591,717 4,598,327 
			  Notes: 1. Prior to April 1998, 'trafficking in controlled drugs' was the only drug offence included in the recorded crime series. 2. The introduction of the revised counting rules in April 1998 expanded offence coverage. This included the addition of 'possession of controlled drugs' and 'other drug offences'. These data are not comparable with later years. 
		
	
	
		
			   2002-03  2005-06 
			 Violence against the person 845,085 1,059,913 
			 Sexual offences 49,243 62,081 
			 Robbery 110,271 98,204 
			 Burglary 890,099 645,118 
			 Theft and handling 2,411,583 2,019,284 
			 Fraud and forgery 331,098 233,005 
			 Criminal damage 1,120,610 1,184,683 
			 Drug offences 143,320 178,502 
			 Other offences 73,651 75,723 
			 Total crime 5,974,960 5,556,513 
			  Note: Numbers of recorded crime were affected by changes in reporting and recording following the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These data are not comparable with earlier years.

Crime Statistics

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of animal cruelty were recorded in Suffolk in each of the last five years; and how many have been successfully prosecuted.

Tony McNulty: The number of offences of animal cruelty recorded by the police are not collected centrally.
	The following table uses data extracted from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform; the table shows all convictions for animal cruelty offences from 2001 to 2005 in the Suffolk police force area.
	
		
			  Number of defendants found guilty at all courts for animal cruelty offences in Suffolk police force area, 2001 to 2005( 1,2) 
			  Offence and statute  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Cruelty to animals - Protection of Animals Act 1911 14 18 10 8 11 
			 The abandonment of animals - Abandonment of Animals Act 1960 Section 1. 21 
			 Total 16 18 10 8 12 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the outcome of the consultation on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority will be announced; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We are considering the outcome of the consultation and will publish a summary of responses in due course.

Criminal Records Bureau

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to ensure that Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks are requested of all people working with children or vulnerable adults, including those already employed when CRB checks were introduced.

Joan Ryan: holding answer 4 December 2006
	Arrangements introduced by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 will ensure that all persons working with children or vulnerable adults in either a paid or voluntary capacity will be required to apply to a new Vetting and Barring Scheme. This will be introduced in 2008 and will be phased in, covering new employees first, and those moving posts.
	Meanwhile it is intended to align the categories covered by the Act with those entitled to enhanced disclosures from the Criminal Records Bureau. Whether CRB checks are compulsory depends on the specific employment sector: for example, all new teachers have been subject to checks since 2002 and all new staff working in schools are now checked.

DNA Database

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who have not been convicted of a crime are on the DNA Database in  (a) Essex and  (b) the Mid-Essex Division of Essex constabulary area.

Joan Ryan: holding answer 28 November 2006
	Data on arrest and criminal histories are not held on the National DNA Database (NDNAD). However, some data are available from the Police National Computer (PNC), but not for all of the individuals with a profile on the NDNAD. Data provided by the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO) from the PNC indicate that at the end of November 2006 there were 86,385 persons with a DNA profile on the NDNAD taken by Essex Police who also had a record retained on the PNC. The PNC records relating to approximately 2,500 other individuals with a profile on the NDNAD had been removed from the PNC, for example, because they had not been convicted of an offence or because proceedings were discontinued.
	Of the 86,385 individuals with a record on PNC, 34,647 have no conviction recorded on the PNC. However, of these, a further 22,006 have another sanction detection recorded on the PNC: for example, a caution, reprimand or final warning. The number of individuals with no conviction, caution, reprimand or final warning is 12,641. The figure of 12,641 will comprise: persons who have been arrested for a recordable offence but no further action is taken; and persons who have been charged with a recordable offence and the proceedings are on-going.
	No corresponding information is available for the Mid-Essex Division within Essex Police.

DNA Database

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were on the DNA Database on 1 November in  (a) Essex and  (b) the Mid-Essex Division of Essex constabulary area.

Joan Ryan: holding answer 28 November 2006
	As at 1 November 2006, there were an estimated 89,156 individuals with a DNA profile on the National DNA Database (NDNAD) taken by Essex police. These individuals would have been arrested, detained in a police station and had a DNA sample taken by Essex police, but would not all necessarily be resident in Essex.
	Information on the number of individuals with a DNA profile on the NDNAD is held on a police force area basis. It is also held by police station code, but not by police force division. It is not possible to provide data for an individual division within Essex police force area without an analysis of the police stations within each division and of any boundary changes to the Essex divisional structure that have taken place since 1995 (when the NDNAD was established).

DNA Database

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many residents of Wantage constituency are on the national DNA database.

Joan Ryan: It is not possible to provide the information requested for the Wantage parliamentary constituency as the DNA subject sample records held on the National DNA Database (NDNAD) relate to police force area, not to parliamentary constituency area or local authority area. However, data are available for Thames Valley police which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire including Wantage.
	It is estimated that as at early December 2006 there were approximately 103,600 individuals with a DNA profile on the NDNAD taken by Thames Valley police (TVP). These individuals would have been arrested, detained in a police station and had a DNA sample taken by TVP, but would not necessarily be resident in the TVP force area.

DNA Database

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many DNA profiles are on the DNA database as a result of investigations by  (a) the police and  (b) security services.

Joan Ryan: At 10 December 2006, there were an estimated 3,706,399 individuals with a DNA profile on the National DNA Database taken by the police. It has been the policy of successive Governments neither to confirm nor deny in response to questions about the activities of the intelligence and security agencies.

DNA Database

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many and what percentage of cases in which an arrest was made on the basis of DNA evidence was the DNA evidence found to be mistaken or false, since the establishment of the National DNA Database.

Joan Ryan: It is not necessarily straightforward to say that an arrest is made on the basis of DNA evidence, as police investigations will often involve looking at several different types of evidence including DNA, and an arrest may be made on the basis of the whole package of evidence. We are, however, aware of two cases in which arrests were made on the basis of mistaken DNA evidence since the establishment of the NDNAD in 1995.
	In October 1997 a bloodstain from the burglary of a dwelling was matched to a Mr. K who was arrested by the Metropolitan Police. In fact samples provided by Mr K. and Mr. H had been accidentally switched in the laboratory. Mr K. began legal action against the Forensic Science Service but did not complete it within the legally prescribed period.
	In August 1999, Mr. E was arrested on the basis of a DNA sample found in a burglary 150 miles from his home. He was suffering from Parkinson's disease and could not have got to the crime scene unaided. This was an SGM matchuse of the more discriminating SGM plus technique (explained as follows) showed the first match was incorrect and the charges were dropped.
	These errors must be seen in the context of almost 300,000 matches between crime scenes and individuals during the period 1998-99 to 2005-06. Use of DNA profiling is an extremely reliable technique.
	Continuous quality monitoring of suppliers is carried out through the NDNAD's supplier accreditation section, and barcode and electronic document scanning systems are used in laboratories to minimise the possibility of human error.
	The SGM technique introduced in 1995 looks at six areas of DNA plus the area showing the person's sex and has a one in 50 million chance of being incorrect (the odds are very probably much better than this).
	Home Office Circular 58/2004 and the ACPO DMA Good Practice Guide advise that where a match of a crime scene to an individual involves an SGM profile, strong consideration should be given to upgrading the SGM profile to SGM Plus to ensure that there is still a match.
	If a person is to be charged on the basis of a DNA match, the CPS require that there must be supporting non-DNA evidence available to be used in evidence. No-one is ever prosecuted solely on the basis of a DNA match; the DNA evidence is one piece of the information that the courts would require for a successful prosecution.

DNA Database

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of retaining DNA samples linked to the National DNA Database in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by police force.

John Reid: The costs for retaining DNA samples fall to individual police forces and establishing this is dependent on the contractual agreement between the force and the forensic supplier. This information is deemed to be commercially confidential.

Domestic Violence

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spent on  (a) tackling and  (b) preventing domestic violence in each of the last five years; and how much he expects to spend on such provision in each of the next five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 12 December 2006
	Between 1999-2000 and 2003-04 the Government allocated funding for victims of domestic violence and their children through the Violence Against Women Initiative within the Crime Reduction Programme. The allocated budget for England and Wales from 2002-03 was as follows: 2002-036,355,000; 2003-047,145,000 (6 million allocated to the Violence Against Women Initiative, 1 million allocated to a national awareness raising campaign, and 145,000 allocated for domestic violence victims with no recourse to public funds); 2004-051,650,000 (1.1 million allocated to the Home Office Regional Directors fund for local delivery of support for victims of domestic violence and their children, 500,000 allocated to a national awareness raising campaign, and 50,000 allocated to implement the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004); 2005-06 5,500,000 (3 million allocated to the Home Office Regional Directors fund for local delivery of support for victims of domestic violence and their children, 1 million to support the development of the Specialist Domestic Violence Court Programme, 1 million to fund a variety of projects including a matrix of national domestic violence helplines, and 500,000 allocated to a national awareness raising campaign which rolled out between 2005-06 and 2006-07); 2006-076,000,000 (3 million allocated to the Home Office Regional Directors fund for local delivery of support for victims of domestic violence and their children, 1 million to support the Specialist Domestic Violence Court Programme, 1 million to develop Independent Domestic Violence Advisors services for Specialist Domestic Violence Court Programme areas, and 1 million to fund a variety of projects including a matrix of national domestic violence helplines).
	These budgets contribute towards the delivery of the National Delivery Plan for Domestic Violence, a cross-Government plan which focuses on a range of key work objectives from early intervention and prevention through to developing a co-ordinated community response to tackling domestic violence. The budgets for the next five years are not yet confirmed. However, the effective prevention, and tackling, of domestic violence continues to be a Government priority.

Drug-addicted Prisoners

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many claims by prisoners who have a drug addiction in relation to access to illegal drugs and the detoxification programmes that they have been alternatively offered  (a) have been settled and  (b) are outstanding; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the  (a) basis and  (b) source was of the legal advice followed by his Department in relation to placing drug addicted prisoners on detoxification programmes and denying them access to illegal drugs; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  why his Department agreed to pay compensation to prisoners denied illegal drugs in prison and placed on detoxification programmes; what the expected total costs are of the compensation to be paid; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what the cost was of the abandoned defence of legal actions taken against the Prison Service by prisoners who have had access to illegal drugs restricted and who have been placed on, or offered, detoxification programmes as alternatives; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 12 December 2006
	The civil action to which my hon. Friend refers was brought by 197 prisoners who claimed that their drug detoxification treatment was inadequate. The claims were not pleaded on the basis that their access to illegal drugs had been denied.
	Legal advice, obtained from counsel, the Treasury Solicitor and Home Office legal advisers, was that the standard of care the claimants received fell short of acceptable medical standards and the Prison Service's guidelines for dealing with opiate dependent prisoners. On the basis of legal advice it was decided to settle these cases out of court in order to minimise costs to the taxpayer. Each case was settled for 3,807.10 excluding costs giving a total figure of 749,998.70. The Prison Service has yet to receive the full bill of legal costs incurred in handling this matter. I am not aware of any outstanding cases.

Europol Information System

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the proposed EU legislation for the development of the Europol Information System; and what its legal base is.

Joan Ryan: The Convention on the Establishment of a European Police Office (Europol), based on Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, and related Council Decisions provide the legal base for Europol's computerised system of collected information, including an information system and analysis work files, and associated provisions on protection of personal data. A Council Act of 27 November 2003 (OJ C two, 6.1.2004, p.1) recommended adoption by the member states of a Protocol amending the Convention including certain of its provisions relating to the computerised system of collected information. These would, among other matters, speed up the arrangements for creating analysis work files. The Protocol is expected to come into effect in the first half of 2007. Certain provisions enabling Europol to operate the Protocol are included in two draft Council Decisions now under consideration in the Europol Management Board. These deal with aspects of processing of personal data and the rules applicable to analysis work files. The Government supports the purposes of the draft Council Decisions subject to consideration of the awaited Opinion on data protection matters of the independent Joint Supervisory Body established under the Convention. The draft Council Decisions and the Joint Supervisory Body's Opinion will be deposited with the parliamentary scrutiny committees in the usual way.

Fixed Penalties

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalties were issued in each of the last five years; for what offences such penalties were issued; in what circumstances the victims are consulted before a fixed penalty is issued; and what percentage of fixed penalty fines were paid in each year.

Tony McNulty: Information on fixed penalty notices issued for endorsable and non-endorsable motoring offences, including data on payments and other disposals, can be found in the annual Home Office publication Offences relating to motor vehicles, England and Wales, Supplementary tables in Tables 20(a) to 20(c) and 21 (a) and 21 (b) The latest figures are for 2004. The publication is available in the Library or via the following web link:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb0506supp.pdf
	Data on the number of fixed penalty notices issued for environmental offences are available via the following link on the Defra website:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/legislation/fpn/
	Under the Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) scheme, police can issue fixed penalty notices of 50 or 80 for a range of disorder offences as set out in the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 (as amended).
	Police can issue fixed penalty notices of 80 for offences of criminal damage (limited to damage under 500) and (retail) theft (under 200) which will normally have victims. However, guidance to the police makes it clear that cases of criminal damage over 300, and thefts over 100, should normally be dealt with by the courts: PNDs should only be issued in exceptional circumstances with the agreement of the victim/retailer. The guidance also states that police should seek and record the victim's views and consult them about the potential issue of a PND, including the effect on the victim's claims for compensation.
	I am placing in the House Library data on the number of penalty notices for disorder issued by offence and police force area in England and Wales in 2004, 2005 and provisional data from January to June 2006.
	The initial payment rate for PNDs was 53 per cent. in 2005; an increase of 1 per cent. on 2004. (Only 1 per cent. requested a court hearing.) 42 per cent. of PND recipients had a fine of one and a half times the penalty registered against them as they failed to pay the penalty or request a court hearing within the 21-day suspended enforcement period. Once registered, these fines fall into the HMCS fine enforcement and collection systems. The courts are currently achieving an overall payment rate for fines of 95 per cent.

Foreign Drivers

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms are in place to bring to justice foreign drivers who commit a traffic offence but do not attend trial.

Vernon Coaker: The Extradition Act 2003 provides for the return from overseas of persons accused of serious offences attracting at least 12 months imprisonment in the United Kingdom. The Road Safety Act 2006 also contains measures which, when implemented, will require drivers who commit certain prescribed offences and who cannot supply a satisfactory UK address to pay an immediate deposit in lieu of a fixed penalty, or pending a court hearing.
	The EU has adopted certain measures which will also ensure, once they are in force, that foreign offenders do not evade punishment. The EU Convention on Driving Disqualifications and the EU Framework Decision on Financial Penalties will allow respectively a driving disqualification or a fine imposed in one EU state to be transferred to another member state for enforcement.

Group 4

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what monitoring is carried out by his Department to ensure the reliability of the tagging system operated by Group 4.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The operation of the tagging system by Group 4 Securicor is monitored closely by a dedicated Home Office team. This includes monthly audits of performance against 19 reported service levels. Failure to meet the agreed levels of performance results in deductions from the amount paid for delivering the service.
	All types of electronic monitoring equipment, including new designs and developments in existing equipment, are rigorously tested before being brought into use. Also, the technical processes and procedures operated by Group 4 Securicor are subject to an annual technical audit carried out by the Home Office.

Guantanamo Detainees

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out in detail the grounds on which the Government are unwilling to admit into the UK detainees at Guantanamo whom the US is willing to release and who have UK residency but not UK citizenship.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The Government have not said they are unwilling to admit any of the people currently detained in Guantanamo who formerly had indefinite leave to remain in this country.
	We have consistently made it clear that any application any of them may make to be allowed to return to the United Kingdom will be considered in the light of the circumstances at the material time.

Guantanamo Detainees

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his assessment is of the implications for UK immigration policy and immigration controls if the Government accepted back into the UK Guantanamo detainees who are British residents but not British citizens.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 19 December 2006
	None. We have made it clear that any application they may make for leave to enter the United Kingdom will be considered in the normal way in the light of the circumstances at the material time.

Hague Programme

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the legislative proposals which are under development at EU level implementing the Hague Programme on Freedom, Security and Justice; and how many proposals implementing that programme have been agreed on.

Tony McNulty: The Hague Programme calls upon the European Commission to monitor its progress and implementation. The Commission adopted its first report on 28 June 2006 in the form of a Communication, COM (2006) 333, 11228/06, Report on the Implementation of the Hague Programme for 2005. It was supplemented by a Commission staff working paper which was a scoreboard listing all the initiatives, including legislative proposals, under development at EU level within the context of the Hague Programme, and the Council's progress in negotiating, adopting and implementing those initiatives. We expect it to be updated next year. For ease of reference, the scoreboard can be found at:
	http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/news/information_dossiers/the_hague_2006/scoreboard_en.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/news/information_dossiers/the_hague_2006/s
	The Communication was deposited for Parliamentary scrutiny and an Explanatory Memorandum was submitted by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Joan Ryan) on 16 October.

Historic Child Abuse

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether changes have been made to guidance on the investigation of historic child abuse since 2002.

Vernon Coaker: In 2002, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) produced Child Abusethe Investigation of Historical Institutional Child Abuse, a manual designed to provide senior Investigating Officers with guidance, strategic options and good practice when investigating cases of historic child abuse. ACPO is currently revising the manual and aims to produce updated guidance in the new year.

Human Trafficking

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department where people seeking entry to the UK have been apprehended for  (a) attempted trafficking and  (b) trafficking for minors in each of the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 19 December 2006
	Official statistics on immigration matters are available from the Home Office research, development and statistics directorate website at
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	These statistics show the number of persons proceeded against for offences and persons found guilty under the Immigration Act 1971 Section 25 (1) (A) Knowingly facilitating the entry of an illegal entrant and Section 25 (1) (b) Knowingly facilitating the entry of an asylum claimant in United Kingdom for the period 2001 to 2005.
	At present, the immigration and nationality directorate has no centrally collated data on the numbers of children trafficked into the UK or on where those attempting trafficking have been apprehended for this offence.

Identity Cards

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the revenue which will be received from charges for the provision of information from the National Identity Register for identity verification in each of the first five years of its operation.

Joan Ryan: It would not be appropriate at this stage to disclose details of the estimate of the balance of funding which will come from the different types of fee for identity verification which may be set under the powers in section 35 of the Act. Disclosing this information would potentially hinder the Department's ability to obtain value for money in a procurement process.

Identity Cards

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the effect of imposing charges for the provision of information from the National Identity Register for the purposes of identity verification on charges to customers wishing to open a high street bank account.

Joan Ryan: The Identity and Passport Service is in contact with representatives of a number of financial institutions with regard to the development of the National Identity Scheme. This interaction includes work to identify possible cost savings and customer and business benefits that can be realised through use of the scheme along with a continuing dialogue on how identity verification services could operate most effectively.

Identity Cards

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to section 5 (5) of the Identity Cards Act 2006, whether individuals who fail to attend an appointment to verify their information will be subject to a fine.

Joan Ryan: Section 5(5) states that an individual may be required to attend an interview and register biometrics in order to obtain an identity card. Until the scheme becomes compulsory there will be no civil penalty for failure to comply with the registration process but an individual failing to comply will not be given a card. If the application for a card is made in conjunction with an application for a designated document, the designated document will also not be issued until the required procedures are followed.

Identity Cards

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his most recent estimate is of the cost of introducing identity cards.

Joan Ryan: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The Home Office reported to Parliament about the likely future costs of the ID cards scheme on 9 October. The cost of issuing passports and ID cards, including set-up costs, is estimated to be 5.4 billion in the 10 years from October 2006. Further cost estimates will be submitted to Parliament at least every six months, as required by section 37 of the Identity Cards Act 2006.

Identity Cards

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what alternative proposals to identity cards were considered by his Department; and what assessment was undertaken of the likely effectiveness of such proposals in meeting the policy objectives of identity cards.

Joan Ryan: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The National Identity Scheme is the result of a process of continuing development and consultation, beginning several years before the Identity Cards Act received Royal Assent in March 2006. The consultation paper, Entitlement Cards and Identity Fraud, was published in July 2002 and invited views on whether a scheme should be implemented and if so, how. As a result of responses received during the six month consultation period, the Government announced their decision to introduce a scheme in Identity Cards: The Next Steps, published in November 2003. A draft Bill was then published and consulted on before the first Identity Cards Bill was introduced to Parliament in November 2004. The scheme has continued to develop as the legislation has undergone parliamentary scrutiny and following Royal Assent.
	The Regulatory Impact Assessment of the Identity Cards Bill set out other initiatives which were under way with the objectives of tackling illegal immigration and illegal working, security and organised crime, identity fraud and improving the administration of public services. The National Identity Scheme is not intended to be the sole method of solving any of these problems and other initiatives will continue alongside the scheme which will complement these other initiatives, not replace them.

Illegal Firearms

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many individuals have been convicted for converting air weapons to fire live ammunition in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many individuals have  (a) been convicted and  (b) received upon conviction a minimum five-year sentence for possessing an illegal firearm in each of the last three years;
	(3)  how many individuals have been convicted for possessing  (a) an air weapon and  (b) an imitation firearm in public in each of the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: Information on the number of persons convicted for converting air weapons to fire live ammunition is not held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. An air weapon is already regarded in law as a firearm. Any person converting it to fire bulleted ammunition without possessing an appropriate certificate or section 5 authority would be prosecuted under the relevant section of the Firearms Act 1968 for illegal possession or manufacture. No information is available from court statistics to indicate how many prosecutions relate to such conversions.

Illegal Fox Hunts

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted for taking part in illegal fox hunts since the Hunting Act 2004 was implemented.

Tony McNulty: The court proceedings data held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform database shows that three people were prosecuted in England and Wales during 2005 under sections 1 and 6 of the Hunting Act 2004 for the offence of hunting a wild mammal with a dog.
	Court proceedings data for 2006 will be available in the autumn of 2007.

Interpreters

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that there is an adequate number of qualified interpreters available in criminal proceedings.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Office for Criminal Justice Reform plans shortly to issue a comprehensive revision of the 2002 National Agreement on Arrangements for the Attendance of Interpreters in Investigations and Proceedings within the Criminal Justice System. We aim to follow this up for the longer term with cross-agency work to address issues connected with the supply of interpreters.

Interpreters

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what use was made by each constabulary of  (a) interpreters registered on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) and  (b) non-NRPSI interpreters in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: This information is not available centrally. The Office for Criminal Justice Reform is looking at improving data collection and monitoring of interpreter usage as part of ongoing work to improve the supply of qualified interpreters.

Interpreters

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by police forces in England on interpreters in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 5 December 2006
	This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the expected  (a) start and  (b) completion date is for the (i) NOMIS, (ii) identity cards, (iii) CID, (iv) biometric residence permits, (v) CJS Exchange, (vi) IBIP, (vii) e-borders procurement, (viii) CIDTR, (ix) EDRM, (x) Adelphi, (xi) IND points-based system, (xii) Mycroft, (xiii) NSPIS Case and Custody, (xiv) WITR, (xv) WISP, (xvi) Warnings Index Portfolio, (xvii) identity management and (xviii) ePassports projects; and what the original planned completion date was in each case.

Joan Ryan: Please see the following table for a full answer to this question.
	Identity cards have not been included in this table because the estimate of likely costs over the next 10 years of introducing ID cards was set out in the costs report laid before Parliament on 9 October 2006, which included the costs of issuing passports and identity cards. The intention is to start issuing identity cards to British citizens from 2009.
	
		
			  Policy/programme  Project name/ID  Project description, scope and the key elements/sublevels  Project start date/  Original planned completion date  Current expected completion 
			 NOMS NOMIS Noms (National Offender Management System) for the Prison Service 1st quarter 2006 Last quarter 2008 Last quarter 2008 
			 Immigration and Nationality Directorate Five Year Strategy CID Support and maintenance of existing casework system, and adaptation to developing business requirements November 2005 November 2010 November 2010 
			 Immigration and Nationality Directorate Five Year Strategy Biometric residents permits Introduction of new format EU residence permits. Part of CID project November 2005 November 2010 November 2010 
			 Immigration and Nationality Directorate Five Year Strategy CID TR Redesign of existing casework system to facilitate support and maintenance, and adaptation to developing business requirements Project now subsumed into other CID projects   
			 e-Borders e-Borders procurement Strategic aim of the programme is to create an integrated, secure border for the 21st century. This will involve the procurement and implementation of solution to capture and analyse passenger information in advance of arrival into/departure from the UK and alert the appropriate border control agencies of high risk passengers. Also replaces the current WI system used to support clearance into the UK and watchlisting of visas applications. A fuller description can be provided if necessary. September 2005 Summer 2007 Summer 2007 
			 Immigration and Nationality Directorate Five Year Strategy IBIP Key enabler for introduction of biometric-based identification documents November 2005 March 2010 March 2010 
			 Immigration and Nationality Directorate Five Year Strategy ePassports (readers) Provision of readers for new format passports. Sub-project with IBIP November 2005 March 2010 March 2010 
			 Immigration and Nationality Directorate Five Year Strategy Identity Management (fingerprint recognition) Major expansion of capacity of existing fingerprint recognition system. Sub-project within IBIP November 2005 March 2010 March 2010 
			 Immigration and Nationality Directorate Five Year Strategy Warnings Index Portfolio Warnings Index Tech Refresh, Warnings Index Support Procurement September 2004 January 2007 January 2007 
			 Immigration and Nationality Directorate Five Year Strategy WITR Warnings Index Tech Refresh. Sub-project of Warnings Index Portfolio September 2004 January 2007 January 2007 
			 Immigration and Nationality Directorate Five Year Strategy WISP Warnings Index Support Procurement. Sub-project of Warnings Index Portfolio September 2004 January 2007 January 2007 
			 IND Mycroft A secure, networked intelligence system that delivers the provision of timely and legally compliant intelligence 2002 August 2005 December 2005 
			 IND Points-based system Implements a rationalised managed migration system that integrates all current work and study schemes November 2005 March 2010 March 2010 
			 Corporate services Adelphi Finance, HR and procurement system for core HO 2002 2011 2011 
			 Corporate services EDRM Records management March 2005 March 2008 July 2007 
			 Police ICT NSPIS Case and Custody Electronic custody suite and case files April 2003 April 2006 April 2006 
			 OCJR CJS Exchange Tri-laterally funded under OCJR. Exchange hub for data sharing across the CJS April 2003 April 2006 April 2008

Life Sentences

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time spent in prison was for those  (a) convicted of murder and  (b) serving all other life sentences in each of the last 10 years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information on the average time served by sentenced prisoners  (a) convicted of murder (mandatory life sentences) and  (b) on other life sentences between 1995 and 2005 is provided in the following table, which is published as table 10.5 in the Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2005 a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and although shown to the last individual the figures may not be accurate to that level.
	
		
			  Table 10.5 Number of first releases from prison on life licence and average time served 
			  Year of first release  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Total released 84 83 89 94 120 113 122 144 223 205 200 
			  Mandatory lifers
			 Number 54 69 78 86 110 101 111 117 185 152 156 
			 Mean time served (years) 14 13 14 13 13 13 13 14 15 14 14 
			 Median time served (years) 13 13 14 13 12 12 13 13 14 13 13 
			  Other lifers
			 Number 30 14 11 8 10 12 11 27 38 53 44 
			 Mean time served (years) 14 17 14 14 16 11 9 9 12 9 6 
			 Median time served (years) 12 17 13 14 15 10 10 5 10 6 6 
		
	
	This table is taken from the Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2005 to be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb1806.pdf

London Olympics

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated research into the use of high-powered microphones on CCTV cameras at the 2012 Olympics; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office, in conjunction with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has been undertaking a review of CCTV this year, and has been assessing how it may be used more effectively in reducing and detecting crime. The review's findings are expected to be known within the next few weeks and the strategy will reflect discussions with the police and other stakeholders, and will consider the current and future technologies that may be used in conjunction with CCTV.
	The Home Office is not aware of any research commissioned, or evaluation of the use of high-powered microphones on CCTV cameras at the 2012 Olympics.
	Any technology used with CCTV cameras will have to comply with current legislation before it could be used operationally. This includes a requirement to observe the Information Commissioner's code of practice on the use of CCTV.

Murders (Mental Illness)

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders committed in the last 12 months were committed by people with  (a) a history of mental illness and  (b) no history of mental illness.

Vernon Coaker: Latest available data relate to offences currently recorded as homicides and were published in Violent Crime Overview, Homicide and Gun Crime 2004/05 (HOSB 02/06). As of 28 November 2005, there were 820 offences currently recorded as homicide in England and Wales during the financial year 2004-05. In 30 of these cases the apparent circumstance of the offence was classed as being an
	irrational act carried out by an apparently insane or disturbed subject
	included in the above publication as suspect mentally disturbed. However, as only one circumstance can be recorded per case, these figures do not include all those homicides committed by a suspect with mental health problems. Full data for 2005-06 are scheduled to be published in late January 2007.
	The Home Office also publishes annual criminal statistics and data about persons managed under Mental Health Act powers, including those convicted of homicide. In 2004, 626 persons were convicted of homicide (Criminal Statistics 2004, HOSB 19/05). Ninety-nine persons convicted of homicide were detained under part III of the Mental Health Act 1983 (Statistics of Mentally Disordered Offenders 2004, HOSB 22/05).

Offender Management Bill

Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances he would put out to tender an entire probation service under the Offender Management Bill.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Offender Management Bill places the statutory responsibility for delivering probation services on to the Secretary of State, so that he may contract with other providers for services.
	Improving Prison and Probation Services: Public Value Partnerships, published in August 2006, sets out our strategic intentions for contestability and outlines our plans for competition to 2010-11. In our current plans, it is only if a probation board or trust is failing, by not adequately protecting the public and addressing offending behaviour, and has failed to improve sufficiently despite support, that we will consider competing an entire probation service.

Offender Management Bill

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations were conducted with  (a) prison governors and  (b) probation officers in preparation of the Offender Management Bill.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Offender Management Bill contains a range of measures aimed at more effective and efficient management of offenders in custody and the community. These include new arrangements for the provision of probation services. These proposals were initially outlined in a consultation paper, Restructuring Probation to Reduce Re-offending, which was published in October 2005. A total of 748 written responses were received, the majority of those coming from probation service interests, including the National Association of Probation Officers and a number of individual members of staff. The Prison Governors' Association did not submit a formal response to the consultation paper.
	The consultation paper, Youth Justicethe Next Steps, published in September 2003, sought opinions on whether suitable young people could be placed in open and semi-secure, as well as closed, conditions in different types of establishments, as is now proposed in Clause 25. Neither prison governors nor the probation service were specifically consulted on these proposals.
	No other measures in the Bill were the subject of formal consultation.

National Offender Management Service

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what complaints were received by the Chief Executive of the National Offenders Management Service about  (a) her and  (b) her organisation in October and November.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost as our correspondence tracking system does not provide this level of detail.

National Offender Management Service

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on the production of the detailed business case for the National Offender Management Service; what the milestones are for the creation of a detailed business case; when he expects it to be published; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We published the Strategic Business Case for NOMS reform in October 2005, the publication Improving Prison and Probation Services: Public Value Partnerships in August 2006 and a Regulatory Impact Assessment in November 2006 for the provisions of the Offender Management Bill which give the Secretary of State the power to commission probation services from a range of providers. This last will encourage partnership working between the public, private and voluntary sectors to generate new ideas and ensure that the best services are available to reduce reoffending and protect the public. NOMS had been in operation for over two years and is fully committed to delivering these objectives.
	Copies of the publication Improving Prison and Probation Services: Public Value Partnerships have been placed in the Library of the House.
	Copies of the other two documents are not published in glossy form, but can be found at the following web addresses:
	Strategic Business Case for NOMS reform:
	http://www.probation.homeoffice.gov.uk/files/pdf/NOM Spercent20Strategicpercent20Outlinepercent20Businesspercent 20Casepercent20(Octpercent202005)percent20.pdf
	Regulatory Impact Assessment for the provisions of the Offender Management Bill:
	http://noms.homeoffice.gov.uk/news-publicationsevents/publications/consultations/OM-Bill-RIA

National Security Co-ordination Centre

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre shares information with its counterparts in other countries.

Tony McNulty: NISCC is recognised as a world leader in the field of information sharing. It pioneered the Meridian Conference, an annual event now supported by more than 30 countries, designed to encourage the aims of information sharing relating to Critical Information Infrastructure Protection.

Police Searches

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many searches were conducted by police officers in each of the last five years; how many seizures of money were made; and how much money was seized in each year.

John Reid: The police have search powers under various pieces of legislation and the seizure of cash is often incidental to the main purpose of the search. Information held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on the number of searches within England and Wales of persons or vehicles under section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and other legislation from 2000-01 to 2004-05 (latest available) is given in table 1. Data for 2005-06 will be issued in 2007.
	The information available on the numbers of seizures of cash by the police under the powers in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and the amounts seized, is set out in table 2.
	
		
			  Table 1: searches of persons and vehicles under s1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and other legislation( 1) , England and Wales, 2000-01 to 2004-05 
			   Total searches 
			 2000-01 714,100 
			 2001-02 741,000 
			 2002-03 895,300 
			 2003-04 749,400 
			 2004-05 851,200 
			 (1) Includes searches for drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and those for firearms under the Firearms Act 1968. Also includes other powers such as s43 of the Terrorism Act 2000; various poaching and wildlife conservation legislation; s27(1) of the Aviation Security Act 1982; s163 and 164 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979; and the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985.  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative systems generated by the police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when these data used.  Source: Home Office Statistical Bulletin 'Arrests for Recorded Crime (Notifiable Offences) and the Operation of Certain Police Powers under PACE, England and Wales, 2004/05'. Issue 21/05. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: police cash seizures 
			   Number  Value ( million) 
			 2002-03(1) n/a n/a 
			 2003-04 494 20.357 
			 2004-05 564 15.802 
			 2005-06 884 43.34 
			 n/a = not available. (1) The powers for police to seize cash under this Part of POCA came into effect on 30 December 2002.  Source: Reports of the Appointed Person for England and Wales, and Northern Ireland 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06, under Part five, Chapter three of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.(POCA).

Prisons

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of  (a) convicted prisoners in each prison in England and Wales,  (b) remand prisoners and  (c) remand prisoners under control orders are Muslim; and what percentage of re-offenders were Muslim in the latest period for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: At the end of September 2006,  (a) 10 per cent. of all sentenced prisoners and  (b) 12 per cent. of all prisoners held on remand (untried and convicted unsentenced) within prison establishments in England and Wales were recorded as being of the Muslim faith. Information on the percentage of Muslims within each prison establishment is in the following table.
	Information on re-offending by religious affiliation is not held and would be available only at disproportionate cost.
	No control orders have been served against prisoners on remand.
	Control orders are preventative orders that are used particularly where it is not possible to prosecute individuals for terrorist-related activity and in the case of foreign nationals, where they cannot be removed from the UK.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and although shown to the last individual the figures may not be accurate to that level.
	
		
			  Muslim prisoners as percentage of (a) convicted and (b) remand within prison establishments in England and Wales at 30 September 2006 
			  Percentage 
			   (a) Convicted prisoners 
			 All 10 
			 Altcourse 2 
			 Askham Grange 4 
			 Acklington 4 
			 Albany 6 
			 Ashfield 9 
			 Ashwell 13 
			 Aylesbury 22 
			 Belmarsh 16 
			 Buckley Hall 15 
			 Blundeston 14 
			 Bedford 12 
			 Blantyre House 10 
			 Brockhill 9 
			 Bristol 6 
			 Birmingham 13 
			 Bullingdon 14 
			 Brinsford 8 
			 Blakenhurst 7 
			 Bullwood Hall 21 
			 Brixton 20 
			 Bronzfield 4 
			 Chelmsford 8 
			 Cardiff 7 
			 Camp Hill 10 
			 Cookham Wood 6 
			 Coldingly 13 
			 Castington 3 
			 Channings Wood 5 
			 Canterbury 28 
			 Dartmoor 5 
			 Dovegate 16 
			 Drake Hall 4 
			 Durham 2 
			 Doncaster 8 
			 Dorchester 6 
			 Deerbolt 5 
			 Dover 34 
			 Downview 8 
			 Erlestoke 7 
			 Standford Hill 10 
			 East Sutton Park 10 
			 Everthorpe 10 
			 Eastwood Park 2 
			 Exeter 2 
			 Elmley 7 
			 Forest Bank 7 
			 Ford 8 
			 Foston Hall 6 
			 Frankland 9 
			 Feltham 26 
			 Full Sutton 16 
			 Featherstone 10 
			 Garth 9 
			 Gloucester 4 
			 Guys Marsh 8 
			 Grendon (Spring Hill) 12 
			 Glen Parva 6 
			 Gartree 10 
			 Hollesley Bay (Warren Hill) 8 
			 Huntercombe 20 
			 Moorland Open 13 
			 Hewell Grange 9 
			 Holme House 4 
			 Hindley 5 
			 Hull 4 
			 Highdown 9 
			 Highpoint South 20 
			 Haverigg 5 
			 Holloway 5 
			 Kirkham 5 
			 Kirklevington 15 
			 Lancaster 2 
			 Leicester 12 
			 Leeds 12 
			 Lancaster Farms 5 
			 Lowdham Grange 21 
			 Lindholme 10 
			 Lincoln 4 
			 Long Lartin 17 
			 Latchmere House 14 
			 Low Newton 2 
			 Liverpool 4 
			 Litt'ehey 8 
			 Lewes 7 
			 Leyhill 4 
			 Moorland 10 
			 Motion Hall 10 
			 Manchester 11 
			 Maidstone 14 
			 Mount 20 
			 Highpoint North 19 
			 New Hall 2 
			 Nottingham 6 
			 Northallerton 3 
			 North Sea Camp 3 
			 Norwich 9 
			 Onley 15 
			 Peterborough 7 
			 Portland 20 
			 Parkhurst 12 
			 Preston 7 
			 Pare 5 
			 Kingston (Portsmouth) 7 
			 Pentonville 19 
			 Rochester 18 
			 Reading 3 
			 Rye Hill 21 
			 Ranby 13 
			 Risley 7 
			 Send 6 
			 Stafford 10 
			 Stoke Heath 5 
			 Stocken 12 
			 Swaleside 17 
			 Shepton Mallet 5 
			 Swinfen Hall 14 
			 Styal 1 
			 Sudbury 13 
			 Swansea 1 
			 Shrewsbury 5 
			 Thorn Cross 8 
			 Usk (Prescoed) 2 
			 Verne 13 
			 Wellingborough 15 
			 Winchester 4 
			 Wakefield 7 
			 Wealstun 16 
			 Woodhill 13 
			 Warren Hill 11 
			 Wayland 13 
			 Wymott 5 
			 Werrington 10 
			 Wolds 7 
			 Whitemoor 18 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 17 
			 Whatton 7 
			 Wandsworth 14 
			 Wetherby 5 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   (b) Prisoners on remand 
			 All 12 
			 Altcourse 3 
			 Ashfield 3 
			 Aylesbury (1)? 
			 Bedford 16 
			 Belmarsh 23 
			 Birmingham 18 
			 Blakenhurst 13 
			 Blundeston (1)? 
			 Brinsford 18 
			 Bristol 7 
			 Brixton 26 
			 Bronzfield 3 
			 Bullingdon 15 
			 Cardiff 10 
			 Castington 1 
			 Channings Wood (1)? 
			 Chelmsford 12 
			 Cookham Wood (1)? 
			 Deerbolt (1)? 
			 Doncaster 10 
			 Dorchester 0 
			 Dover 33 
			 Downview (1)? 
			 Durham 4 
			 Eastwood Park 2 
			 Elmley 7 
			 Exeter 3 
			 Feltham 27 
			 Forest Bank 12 
			 Foston Hall 0 
			 Frankland (1)? 
			 Glen Parva 9 
			 Gloucester 6 
			 Highdown 14 
			 Highpoint South (1)? 
			 Hindley 4 
			 Holloway 4 
			 Holme House 7 
			 Hull 3 
			 Huntercombe (1)? 
			 Lancaster Farms 4 
			 Leeds 16 
			 Leicester 14 
			 Lewes 6 
			 Lincoln 4 
			 Lindholme 36 
			 Liverpool 4 
			 Long Lartin (1)? 
			 Low Newton 0 
			 Maidstone (1)? 
			 Manchester 14 
			 Morton Hall (1)? 
			 Mount (1)? 
			 New Hall 7 
			 Norwich 8 
			 Nottingham 10 
			 Parc 8 
			 Parkhurst 6 
			 Pentonville 21 
			 Peterborough 10 
			 Portland (1)? 
			 Preston 6 
			 Reading 6 
			 Rye Hill (1)? 
			 Shrewsbury 13 
			 Standford Hill (1)? 
			 Stoke Heath 2 
			 Styal 2 
			 Sudbury (1)? 
			 Swansea 5 
			 Swinfen Hall (1)? 
			 Thorn Cross (1)? 
			 Wakefield 14 
			 Wandsworth 22 
			 Warren Hill 17 
			 Wellington (1)? 
			 Wetherby 4 
			 Winchester 7 
			 Woodhill 14 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 23 
			 Wymott (1)? 
			 (1) Percentage not shown where the total is less than 10 prisoners because of distortion.

Prisons

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are serving prison sentences, broken down into the number of times they have been in prison.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information on the number of sentenced prisoners held in prison establishments in England and Wales can be found in table 1 of the National Offender Management Service Population in Custody Monthly Tables for October 2006 which is accessible at the following weblink:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/prisoct06.pdf
	Statistical information on the number of times prisoners have been in prison is not held centrally and could not be provided without disproportionate cost.
	The figures provided in the website referred to have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and although shown to the last individual the figures may not be accurate to that level.

Prisons

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions there are  (a) to limit and  (b) to prohibit the sharing of cells by prisoners in each prison; and whether there has been any change to those provisions since 2001.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Prison population pressures, resource constraints and the safe running of prisons place practical limits on the extent of enforced cell-sharing. Subject to risk assessment, cell-sharing can also benefit prisoners at risk of suicide and self-harm.
	The capacity of cells for multiple occupancy is determined by the cell certification process, while the suitability of individual prisoners to be allocated to shared cells is determined by a cell sharing risk assessment. The cell certification process has not changed since 2001, while the cell-sharing risk assessment was last revised in 2005.

Prisons

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many minutes of free telephone calls prisoners in England and Wales are allowed each week.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 19 December 2006
	Prisoners do not receive a weekly allowance of free phone calls but may purchase credits in 1 units to their personal Pinphone telephone account.
	A prisoner may receive credits on their Pinphone telephone account, at public expense, to make a short call on his/her first reception into prison, or be permitted to make a short call using an official telephone in response to an urgent family crisis. In the interests of maintaining family ties, prisoners with close family abroad who have not received a social visit during the preceding month may be allowed credit at public expense to make a five minute telephone call.
	The volume of calls made at public expense is not recorded centrally.

Probation Service

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what monitoring and evaluation his Department carried out on perpetrators programmes run by the Probation Service.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The National Probation Service has two accredited programmes for domestic violence (DV) perpetrators. All accredited programmes have in place monitoring systems to ensure that they are delivered properly. They have a complementary programme of research which will allow evaluation of the effectiveness of the programme. The monitoring includes assessment of perpetrators, supervision of programme facilitators, attendance monitoring, and video recording of all programmes sessions.
	The Home Office is planning two studies: a process evaluation (which will aim to assess whether programmes are being delivered as intended by all probation areas; assess whether data is being collated and to what quality; make an assessment of readiness for a full-scale outcome evaluation; and provide recommendations for operational and design improvements to the DV programmes) and a study of desistance (which will aim to provide some in-depth explanatory information on how DV programmes assisted a small number of offenders to desist from crime after completing their order).
	In the longer term, an independent evaluation of the outcomes is planned, which will use reconviction rates, police call-out data, victim reports and psychometric assessment as outcome measures. This will not begin until we are confident the programmes are being implemented satisfactorily.

Procurement Projects

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the 20 largest procurement projects initiated by his Department since May 1997 have been; what the  (a) original budget,  (b) cost to date and  (c) consultancy fees have been; and what the final cost was of each project which has been completed.

Tony McNulty: From the best currently available information, details of the 20 largest procurement projects initiated by the Department inclusive of its Executive Agencies since May 1997 are in the following table.
	The procurement projects, which were initiated through the placement of a notice in the  Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), are listed by  (a) original budget, or where unavailable by contract value, and where available  (b) cost to date,  (c) consultancy fees, and, where completed, the final cost of each project.
	Some information is either irretrievable to the format requested, or is held in a discontinued accounting system. To supply this data would incur disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Procurement project  Original budget ( million)  Cost to date ( million  Consultancy fees ()  Where completed, final cost ( million) 
			 eBorders (1) 47 (total programme cost) 12 million (2) 
			 Cyclamen 830 108 0.5 (2) 
			 NASSTarget Contracts 710.8 62.6 1.57 combined with NASSNext Steps, see below (2) 
			 IT2000 (contract value) 600 336 to November 2006 n/a (2) 
			 Electronic Monitoring Procurement Project (contract value) 500 76 to June 2006 365,000 (2) 
			 Criminal Records Bureau PPP 400 195.2 to July 2006 100,000 (2) 
			 Quantum 371 274 (1) (2) 
			 HMP Peterborough PFI prison (contract value) 291 (1) (1) (2) 
			 NOMS Offender Management National Infrastructure (OMNI): Steria (contract value) 250 21.45 6.26 (2) 
			 Phoenix 247 96.9 n/a (2) 
			 HMP Bronzefield PFI prison (contract value) 219 (1) (1) (2) 
			 NASSNext Steps 210 219.1 1.57 million combined with NASSTarget Contracts, see above (2) 
			 IND Procurement of Infrastructure Development and Support (IPIDS) 200 37 to July 2006 4 million (2) 
			 HMP Doncaster PPP management only competition (contract value) 140 (1) (1) (2) 
			 IPS Passport Production (original contract value) 130 (1) (1) (2) 
			 IPS Passport Data Capture (original contract value) 100 (1) (1) (2) 
			 NPD STEPS: Steria 86 98 n/a 98 
			 Yarls Wood Estimated 70 70 with project management, 4.2 million 70 
			 Harmondsworth Estimated 64 64 with project management, 4 million (estimated) 64 
			 Birmingham Prison Expansion 58.1 56.1 2.7 million for design 56.1 
			 n/a  not available (1) Not currently available (2) Not completed

Prostitution

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of the Association of Chief Police Officers' policy of directing enforcement against prostitution at those creating the demand for street-based sex markets.

Tony McNulty: This assessment will be based largely on the numbers of arrests and prosecutions for the offences of kerb crawling and persistent soliciting for the purposes of prostitution. Figures for the period since the Government published their co-ordinated strategy on prostitution are not yet available.

Public Order

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dispersal orders were issued in Essex in each of the last three years.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 18 December 2006
	From April 2006, we have been collecting the number of authorisations by force area. These figures are not yet available.

Rape

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women who reported rape have subsequently been  (a) prosecuted and  (b) convicted for (i) perverting the course of justice and (ii) wasting police time in each of the past five years.

Vernon Coaker: The court proceedings data held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform database do not include information on the circumstances of offences and it is therefore not possible to identify prosecutions, or convictions resulting from reported rapes.

Ritalin

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has received any evidence of Ritalin being used  (a) as a recreational drug and  (b) as a recreational drug when combined with methadone.

Vernon Coaker: While Ritalin has a legitimate medical use, the Government recognise its potential for misuse and as a consequence it is controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 as a class B drug, together with amphetamines, and is placed in Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 which places the greatest restriction for medical use, as well as safe custody requirements. The Government are aware of anecdotal evidence of a black market and misuse, particularly by young people, but have not made any national assessment. Inappropriate use of Ritalin, including sharing or selling, in a school setting should be dealt with in line with school drug policy.

Ritalin

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has received any evidence of the NHS prescribed Novartis drug Ritalin being  (a) sold and  (b) used as a recreational drug.

Vernon Coaker: While Ritalin has a legitimate medical use, the Government recognise its potential for misuse and as a consequence it is controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 as a class B drug, together with amphetamines, and is placed in Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 which places the greatest restriction for medical use, as well as safe custody requirements. The Government are aware of anecdotal evidence of a black market and misuse, particularly by young people, but have not made any national assessment. Inappropriate use of Ritalin, including sharing or selling, in a school setting should be dealt with in line with school drug policy.

Sex Offenders

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of procedures used to track sex offenders released in the community; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Protecting the public from the harm caused by sex offenders is a priority for this Government. The means of tackling sex offending are constantly developing, and we work together with the front-line agencies to review their effectiveness and, where necessary, make improvements.
	Since the establishment in 1997 of a notification requirement for sex offenders to register with their local police (sex offender registration) there have been a number of major developments in measures to monitor sex offenders in the community. The notification requirements themselves have been strengthened by part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and in 2001 we introduced statutory multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) across England and Wales to enhance risk assessment and management of serious sexual and violent offenders. Similar arrangements are being introduced in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
	The MAPPA were further strengthened by the Criminal Justice Act 2003 and, in 2005, ViSOR (the violent and sex offender register) was successfully rolled out to the police service with plans to extend to the prison and probation services (local authority criminal justice social work departments in Scotland). ViSOR currently provides a national database of intelligence about the behaviour, residence and identity of sexual offenders and will include violent offenders by December 2007.
	The Home Secretary has commissioned a review of the management of child sex offenders in the community, in order to identify additional public protection measures. The review is due to report in the new year.

Shopping Centres: Security

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has had discussions with representatives of Bluewater shopping centre on  (a) funding scanning equipment for all entrances of the shopping centre and  (b) other security matters relating to the centre.

Tony McNulty: It is not Home Office policy to comment on operational security matters.

Single Non-emergency Number

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the conclusions of assessments of the pilot projects of the Single Non-emergency Number; and what plans he has to reinstate the rollout of the number nationwide.

John Reid: Evaluation and assessment of the introduction of the Single Non-emergency Number, 101, in Wave one areas as well as ongoing performance and quality monitoring, are currently ongoing.
	The outcome of this evaluation and assessment work, to be completed by the autumn of 2007 and including costs and benefits, will inform plans for the future development of the programme.
	The 101 service is now live to the public in five Wave one police and local authority partnership areas covering approximately 10 per cent. of the population of England and Wales. The service is now receiving more than 50,000 calls per month with high levels of customer satisfaction and is already helping to improve the responsiveness and delivery of local community safety services to the public.

Stop and Search

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many stop-and-searches have been made under article 60 (1) (b) of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 as amended by the Knives Act 1997 in each year since the entry into force of the Knives Act 1997; and how many of those stop-and-searches  (a) in England,  (b) in London,  (c) in the Haringey basic command unit lead to an arrest.

Vernon Coaker: The following table shows stops and searches under Section 60 for England and London. It is not possible to distinguish between stop and searches conducted under Section 60 (1) (a) and (b) of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. Figures are not available for individual basic command units in London.
	
		
			  Searches of persons or vehicles under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and resultant arrests 
			  Number 
			   Stops and searches in anticipation of violence 
			   Total searches  Number of persons found to be carrying offensive weapons or dangerous instruments  Arrests for offensive weapons  Arrests for other reasons 
			  England and Wales
			 1999-2000 6,837 59 36 195 
			 2000-01 11,327 357 309 411 
			 2001-02 18,901 1,367 203 485 
			 2002-03 44,398 1,568 356 2,142 
			 2003-04 40,436 557 299 1,248 
			 2004-05 41,337 274 242 941 
			  
			  England 
			 1999-2000 6,809 58 37 194 
			 2000-01 11,317 356 308 411 
			 2001-02 18,891 1,367 203 485 
			 2002-03 44,377 1,566 354 2,135 
			 2003-04 40,409 556 298 1,248 
			 2004-05 40,782 271 238 925 
			  
			  Metropolitan police (includes city of London)
			 1999-2000 2,710 9 4 35 
			 2000-01 2,858 23 7 69 
			 2001-02 6,118 34 89 152 
			 2002-03 8,606 88 88 338 
			 2003-04 4,366 19 29 122 
			 2004-05 3,480 14 19 101 
			  Note:  Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  msdc 495-06  12 December 2006

Terrorism Act

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the individuals detained for a period of  (a) 27 and  (b) 28 days under the Terrorism Act 2006 after 8 August 2006 were subsequently charged with a criminal offence under the Act.

John Reid: The maximum period of detention pre-charge was extended to 28 days with effect from 25 July 2006. Statistics compiled from police records show that from this date to 30 September 2006, six individuals were held for 27 to 28 days. Of these, three were charged under the Terrorism Act 2006 and three were released without charge.

Terrorism Act

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained in connection with terrorism-related inquiries and then released since the Terrorism Act 2006 came into effect; for how many days each of those detainees were held in detention; and how many of those detainees the police would have wished to detain for a period longer than 28 days while they continued their inquiries.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The maximum period of detention pre-charge was extended to 28 days by the Terrorism Act 2006 which came into effect on 25 July 2006. Statistics compiled from police records show that 10 people have been held for a period over 14 days. Of those 10 individuals one was held for 14-15 days, three were held for 19-20 days and six were held for 27-28 days.
	The Home Office will not comment on the number of detainees that the police may have wished to detain for longer than 28 days. This is an operational matter for the police service.

Terrorism Act

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to review the proscription under the Terrorism Act 2000 of the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (Mojahedin-e Khalk) in the light of the judgment of the European Court of Justice in case T-228/02.

Tony McNulty: The Court of First Instance did not rule on the substantive question as to whether People Mojahedin Organisation of Iran is a terrorist group; its judgement was on EU procedures, and as such has no effect on the UK's domestic proscription arrangements

Thefts: Telephone Report

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the theft of  (a) a mobile telephone and  (b) a wallet can be reported to the Metropolitan Police on the telephone; and what guidance been has been issued to officers dealing with such enquiries.

Vernon Coaker: The theft of a mobile telephone and/or a wallet can be reported to the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on the telephone. The MPS has a telephone investigation bureau on each borough which will deal with any crime that is suitable to be investigated in this manner. The focus of any initial MPS decision whether to deploy officers to the scene or whether to deal with the matter over the phone will, on the whole, be based on the likelihood of capturing the offender or of obtaining evidence from the scene which may provide lines of inquiry.
	The Home Office Counting Rules for Recorded Crime (HOCR), which includes the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS), is issued to forces annually in April. The NCRS, which was introduced in 2002 with the aim of promoting greater consistency between police forces in the recording of crime and of taking a more victim oriented approach to crime recording, contains guidance on dealing with crimes reported to the police. Any report of crime by the public should be dealt with in accordance with the NCRS.

Underage Drinking

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was  (a) committed and  (b) has been paid to local councils for trading standards campaigns against underage drinking at the time of the Football World Cup.

John Reid: The Police Standards Unit committed a total of 350,000 for Trading Standards test purchase operations for the period including the Summer 2006 Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign and the World Cup, on the basis of payment for operations undertaken. In terms of payments to date, a total of 302,231 has been paid out.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Asperger's Syndrome

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support is given by his Department to persons with Asperger's syndrome to assist them in integrating into the work environment.

Anne McGuire: Many disabled people, including some with Asperger's syndrome, make very effective use of the mainstream job placing services provided by Jobcentre Plus. For those who need more support, Jobcentre Plus provides a range of specialist disability measures for those disabled customers who cannot be helped by these services. Disability employment advisers and incapacity benefit personal advisers can help to find suitable local employment.
	People with Asperger's syndrome may make use of the Access to Work programme, if they need help with the additional costs, caused by their disability, of travelling to work, or can be helped through the provision of a support worker. A support worker can help in a number of ways, for example as a job coach to provide help in breaking a job down into simple steps to make learning easier or as a mentor, advocate or counsellor.
	WORKSTEP. People with Asperger's syndrome may also make use of this programme of supported employment which can provide tailored support to find, and retain jobs for disabled people who have more complex barriers to finding and keeping work. WORKSTEP provides the support and opportunity for people to progress to open employment where this is the right option for the individual. Longer-term support continues to be available for those who need it.
	In addition, new deal for disabled people (NDDP) is a voluntary initiative offered to customers on a disability or health-related benefit. A network of providers offer support and services to those on eligible benefits who want to enter work, with the aim of achieving lasting, paid employment. NDDP is available to customers across the full range of health conditions and disabilities, including those with Asperger's syndrome.
	Our highly successful Pathways to Work services, currently operating in 20 Jobcentre Plus districts, help people with a range of health conditions and disabilities. The Pathways to Work programme is primarily aimed at new incapacity benefit customers, but is also available to existing benefit customers on a voluntary basis.

Benefit Payments

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioner households in  (a) Cleethorpes constituency,  (b) Great Grimsby constituency,  (c) Scunthorpe constituency and  (d) Brigg and Goole constituency are receiving (i) pension credit and (ii) pension savings credit; and what the average amount awarded is in each case.

James Purnell: The answer is in the following tables. The pension credit is made up of two elements, guarantee credit and savings credit, an individual can receive one or both guarantee credit and savings credit.
	
		
			  Table (a): Number of households in receipt of pension credit by type in Cleethorpes and the average weekly paymentsAugust 2006( 1) 
			  Type of pension credit  Household recipients  Average weekly payments () 
			 Guarantee credit only 1,170 73.80 
			 Savings credit only 1,400 12.64 
			 Guarantee credit and savings credit 2,500 41.61 
			 All 5,070 41.03 
		
	
	
		
			  Table (b): Number of households in receipt of pension credit by type in Great Grimsby and the average weekly paymentsAugust 2006( 1) 
			  Type of pension credit  Household recipients  Average weekly payments () 
			 Guarantee credit only 1,400 76.71 
			 Savings credit only 1,410 12.54 
			 Guarantee credit and savings credit 2,620 40.46 
			 All 5,430 42.54 
		
	
	
		
			  Table (c): Number of households in receipt of pension credit by type in Scunthorpe and the average weekly paymentsAugust 2006( 1) 
			  Type of pension credit  Household recipients  Average weekly payments () 
			 Guarantee credit only 1,060 72.19 
			 Savings credit only 1,380 12.25 
			 Guarantee credit and savings credit 2,020 38.93 
			 All 4,460 38.57 
		
	
	
		
			  Table (d): Number of households in receipt of pension credit by type in Brigg and Goole and the average weekly paymentsAugust 2006( 1) 
			  Type of pension credit  Household recipients  Average weekly payments () 
			 Guarantee credit only 1,020 72.58 
			 Savings credit only 1,370 12.32 
			 Guarantee credit and savings credit 2,190 38.23 
			 All 4,580 38.16 
			 (1) The figure provided is an early estimate. The preferred data source for figures supplied by DWP is the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS). However, the figure provided is the latest available figure which is taken from the GMS scan at 1 September 2006. These are adjusted using the historical relationship between WPLS and GMS data to give an estimate of the final WPLS figure.  Notes: 1. Case loads are rounded to the nearest 10 . Totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the 2005 postcode directory. 3. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household. 4. Average weekly payments are shown as  per week and rounded to the nearest penny.  Source: DWP 100 per cent. data from the Generalised Matching Service (GMS) pension credit scan taken as at 1 September 2006.

Benefit Payments: Cleethorpes

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in each electoral ward in Cleethorpes constituency receive pension credit.

James Purnell: The answer is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Households in receipt of pension credit in each ward in Cleethorpes constituency May 2006 
			  Ward name  Households 
			 Croft Baker 1,085 
			 Haverstoe 505 
			 Humberston and New Waltham 590 
			 Immingham 570 
			 Sidney Sussex 640 
			 Waltham 385 
			 Wolds 295 
			 Barton 505 
			 Ferry 510 
			 Total Cleethorpes constituency 5,090 
			  Notes: 1. Case loads are rounded to the nearest10. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the 2005 postcode directory. 3. Wards are based on 2003 ward boundaries. 4. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household.  Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data

Benefit Payments: Cleethorpes

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Cleethorpes constituency were in receipt of state benefits in each of the past 10 years, broken down by benefit.

James Plaskitt: The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Benefit Payments: Tamworth

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Tamworth are claiming incapacity benefit.

Anne McGuire: The number of incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants at 31 May 2006 in the Tamworth parliamentary constituency was 3,530.
	 Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. Claimant figures include all incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disablement allowance (including IB credits only cases).
	3. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory.
	 Source:
	DWP Information Directorate, Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. Data.

Carers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his Department's plans to support carers.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions recognises the valuable efforts of carers in supporting sick or disabled family members, friends and neighbours.
	Depending upon their circumstances, carers have access to the full range of social security benefits. In particular, through payment of carer's allowance, the Department provides income maintenance support to over 450,000 carers providing at least 35 hours of care per week for severely disabled people receiving attendance allowance, or the equivalent rates of the disability living allowance care component, or a constant attendance allowance paid under the industrial injuries disablement benefit or war pension schemes. Around 216,000 low-income carers are supported through the carer premium in income support and income-based jobseekers allowance, while a further 195,000 receive the carers additional amount in pension credit.
	We are continuing to make it easier for carers to claim their benefit entitlements. Since December 2003, carers have been able to make electronic claims for carer's allowance. Next month, we are introducing a shortened claim form for pension-age carers, which will make it easier for them to claim carer's allowance and, subsequently, the carer's additional amount in pension credit.
	The Pensions Bill, introduced on 28 November 2006, contains a number of initiatives to help carers build up better entitlement to state pensions. It includes a new 'carers credit' for those caring for severely disabled people for at least 20 hours a week, a reduction to 30 in the number of qualifying years needed for a full basic state pension, and changes to make it easier for carers to accrue the second state pension. The reduction in qualifying years for the full basic state pension will particularly help carers with gaps in their work records.
	Working age carer's allowance claimants who wish to combine caring and work have access to a range of support and services available from Jobcentre Plus, for example through the New Deal or a voluntary work focused interview with a trained personal advisor.
	As with all our policies, the Department will continue to regularly evaluate its support for carers.

Carers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the annual cost of abolishing the overlapping benefit rule for the carers allowance and basic state pension; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The estimated gross cost of exempting all pensioners with entitlement to carer's allowance from the overlapping benefits rule would be around 660 million. After adjusting for offsets in income-related benefits and pension credit the net cost would be around 370 million. This estimate does not take account of carers presently not claiming carer's allowance who might be induced to do so by a change in the rules.

Civil Servants

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of his Department's civil servants work full-time to support departmental special advisers; and what the salary is of each such civil servant.

Anne McGuire: The Special Advisers in the Department of Work and Pensions are supported by three civil servants. The salary ranges are:
	
		
			  Range  Number of Civil Servants 
			 21480-27300 1 
			 27240-36480 2

Contact Centres

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer from the Minister for Work to the hon. Member for Southend West (Mr. Amess) of 27 November 2006,  Official Report, column 813, on contact centres, how the figures for calls  (a) not answered and  (b) receiving an engaged tone were calculated.

Anne McGuire: Between April and October 2006, 22 million calls were received by contact centres covered in the PAC's report. 5.5 per cent. of these were abandoned (the customer hung up before getting an answer) and 94.5 per cent. were answered. 0.3 per cent. of total calls heard the engaged tone. Therefore calls abandoned by the customer and those receiving an engaged tone would equate to calls not answered.
	 Notes:
	Calls received = total calls offered to the contact centres.
	Calls answered = those calls that were answered by an adviser once the call had been presented to the contact centre.
	Calls hearing the engaged tone = those calls that were not presented to the contact centres because the department proactively blocked telephone lines.
	Total calls = total calls made to the network.

CSA

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of progress against the targets in the Child Support Agency business plan; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of progress made against the targets in the Child Support Agency business plan; and if he will make a statement.
	The Child Support Agency has six targets set by the Secretary of State for 2006/07, which were published in the Agency's Business Plan, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library, or on the internet via the following link:
	www.csa.gov.uk/pdf/english/reports/plan0607.pdf.
	It should be noted that there was an error in the published definition of the debt target, which incorrectly stated that the performance level of 40 per cent should be achieved over the financial year 2006/07 as opposed to the quarter ending March 2007, as was originally intended. The correct definition of this target is, therefore, that: The Agency will collect arrears equivalent to 40 per cent of the amount accruing due to non-payment of regular maintenance between 1 January 2007 and 31 March 2007.
	The Agency's latest performance against these targets was published in tables 2.1, 3, 7.2, 8.1,12, and 17 of the September 2006 Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary Statistics, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library, or on the internet via the following link:
	www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/child_support/csa_quarterly _sep06.asp.
	The correction to the debt target definition was also made in this publication.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Departmental Call Centres

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations reports have been submitted by call centres owned or operated by his Department.

Anne McGuire: As incidents are handled locally only limited information is available centrally and it is not always possible to identify whether reports relate to contact centre staff. The Disability and Carers Service Health and Safety Team are aware of one report submitted to them within the last two years. The Jobcentre Plus Contact Centre Directorate are aware of nine reportable accidents and 10 acoustic shock incidents in the last two years.

Departmental Database

Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that his Department's database contains benefit claimants' full and correct addresses.

Anne McGuire: The Department has a wide range of processes in place to ensure that it holds benefit claimants' full and correct addresses.
	At the outset of a claim for benefit steps are taken to confirm that the address provided exists and is correct, by matching the details provided with historical data held within the Department. Decision notices issued when entitlement is established, and annual award notices issued when benefit rates change include written reminders of the need for customers to notify changes of address. In addition to this when it is known that an address is out of date and the customer is in receipt of benefit, steps are taken to obtain the correct address details.
	If an address could not be traced banks would be contacted to suspend payments and data matching takes place with organisations such as Royal Mail re-direct. Change of address details notified to one part of the Department are shared with other agencies within the Department through cross-benefit computer systems. These systems also hold addresses from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), where many customers in receipt of child benefit, child tax credits and new tax credits are also customers of this Department.
	The Department has a dedicated team, who are responsible for the quality and integrity of personal details data held within the Customer Databases Programme, and is constantly seeking new ways of maintaining all personal data, including up to date addresses. In order to maintain correct address details and up to date postcodes, the Post Office Address File is run against the DWP Customer Databases on a quarterly basis.
	Work is currently under way with HMRC on a project set up to examine taxpayer's out of date address data, which is then checked through Post Office Redirect and credit reference data, with any new addresses found notified from HMRC to DWP. There are safeguards in place to ensure that correct addresses for customers in receipt of benefit are not overwritten by this data without confirmation that the individual has moved.

Departmental Expenditure

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much  (a) his Department and  (b) the agencies for which he has responsibility spent on redundancy payments (i) in each of the last 24 months for which figures are available and (ii) in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the Department of Social Security and parts of the former Department for Education and Employment, including the Employment Service. All figures shown prior to financial year 2001-02 relate only to the former Department of Social Security.
	Amounts spent by the Department on staff exit schemes since 1997-98 are set out in the following table. This includes all staff released from the Department on early release schemes and staff released under Inefficiency Dismissal with Compensation.
	
		
			million 
			 1997-98 76.7 
			 1998-99 20.5 
			 1999-2000 20.2 
			 2000-01 21.6 
			 2001-02 18.4 
			 2002-03 19.4 
			 2003-04 16.1 
			 2004-05 29.6 
			 2005-06 140.0 
		
	
	An analysis of the amounts spent by individual agency is only available since the formation of the Department for Work and Pensions in 2001-02. Figures are set out in the following table.
	
		
			   million 
			  Business  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  Total 
			 Benefits Agency 1.73 n/a n/a n/a n/a 1.73 
			 The Pensions Service n/a 0.20 0.19 1.28 14.06 15.73 
			 Child Support Agency 1.40 0.83 0.82 0.83 4.48 8.36 
			 Disability and Carers Service n/a n/a n/a 0.00 6.98 6.98 
			 The Appeals Service 0.20 0.15 0.17 0.17 0.16 0.85 
			 Jobcentre Plus 0.00 0.00 0.18 6.59 69.01 75.78 
			 Health and Safety Executive n/a 2.08 0.65 0.75 1.81 5.29 
			 The Rent Service n/a n/a n/a 1.68 0.00 1.68 
			 Departmental Corporate Units 15.03 16.17 14.11 18.26 43.48 107.05 
			 Total 18.36 19.43 16.12 29.56 139.98 223.45 
			 n/a = The Agency did not exist in the Department in the year in question.   Notes:  1. A proportion of the ongoing annual pension payments for early retirement cases are held centrally and included in the departmental corporate units' line from 2004-05 and 2005-06. 2. The figures do not include the provisions made in the accounts for costs associated with staff approved for early release in 2006-07 
		
	
	A monthly breakdown of the amounts spent by individual Agencies in financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06 is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   million 
			   Business 
			   TPS  CSA  DCS  TAS  JCP  HSE  Rent  Corp.  Total 
			 April 2004 0.02 0.06 0.00 0.01 0.33 0.06 0.14 0.76 1.38 
			 May 2004 0.01 0.08 0.00 0.01 0.11 0.06 0.14 0.76 1.17 
			 June 2004 0.07 0.08 0.00 0.02 0.22 0.06 0.14 0.77 1.36 
			 July 2004 0.07 0.06 0.00 0.02 0.14 0.06 0.14 1.02 1.51 
			 August 2004 0.04 0.07 0.00 0.02 1.26 0.06 0.14 0.75 2.34 
			 September 2004 0.02 0.06 0.00 0.01 0.64 0.06 0.14 0.49 1.42 
			 October 2004 0.01 0.06 0.00 0.01 0.56 0.06 0.14 0.74 1.58 
			 November 2004 0.02 0.06 0.00 0.01 0.52 0.06 0.14 0.79 1.60 
			 December 2004 0.06 0.09 0.00 0.01 0.48 0.06 0.14 0.68 1.52 
			 January 2005 0.04 0.11 0.00 0.01 0.33 0.06 0.14 0.69 1.38 
			 February 2005 0.44 0.05 0.00 0.01 0.17 0.06 0.14 1.05 1.92 
			 March 2005 0.48 0.05 0.00 0.03 1.83 0.09 0.14 9.76 12.38 
			 Total 1.28 0.83 0.00 0.17 6.59 0.75 1.68 18.26 29.56 
			   
			 April 2005 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.04 -0.04 
			 May 2005 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.94 0.94 
			 June 2005 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.66 1.66 
			 July 2005 0.33 0.39 0.24 0.04 1.36 0.00 0.00 16.19 18.55 
			 August 2005 0.10 0.14 -0.02 0.02 0.42 0.00 0.00 14.95 15.61 
			 September 2005 0.22 0.11 0.03 0.02 0.50 0.00 0.00 4.35 5.23 
			 October 2005 0.12 0.07 0.02 0.01 0.68 1.43 0.00 4.62 6.95 
			 November 2005 0.32 0.30 0.07 0.01 0.30 0.22 0.00 19.61 20.83 
			 December 2005 0.10 0.05 0.07 0.01 0.64 0.16 0.00 4.58 5.61 
			 January 2006 2.85 2.59 -0.04 0.01 9.43 0.00 0.00 -4.01 10.83 
			 February 2006 0.16 0.13 -0.04 0.01 0.71 0.00 0.00 10.00 10.97 
			 March 2006 9.86 0.70 6.65 0.03 54.97 0.00 0.00 -29.37 42.84 
			 Total 14.06 4.48 6.98 0.16 69.01 1.81 0.00 43.48 139.98 
			  Notes:  IPS - The Pension Service CSA - Child Support Agency DCS - Disability and Carers Service TAS - The Appeals Service JCP - Jobcentre Plus HSE - Health and Safety Executive Rent - The Rent Service Corp. - Departmental Corporate Units 
		
	
	The negative figures in the Departmental Corporate Units line represent internal accounting adjustments in respect of lump sum recharges to the appropriate business units.

Departmental Statistics

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which statistics have been put forward by his Department for consideration to become new national statistics in each of the last five years; and how many statistics sets his Department has produced in total in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: The current list of National Statistics produced by the Department for Work and Pensions can be found on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/about/ns_ons/nsproducts/default.asp
	A list of changes to the scope of National Statistics (additions and withdrawals) in each of the last five years can be found in the relevant National Statistics annual report available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=1051
	In addition to National Statistics, the Department for Work and Pensions publishes a wide range of other numerical information in a variety of forms including other data produced from the management and administration of the Department and in research reports. There is no consistent definition of the term statistics sets and no centrally held information on the total published in each year on this basis.

Disability Benefits

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent progress has been made in identifying an effective method of measuring the take-up of disability benefits.

Anne McGuire: The assessment of eligibility for disability living allowance and attendance allowance is more complex than for other benefits as it involves a detailed judgment of each individual's personal care and mobility needs.
	The Department has, therefore, commissioned a feasibility study to establish whether a methodology can be developed that will provide an accurate and robust estimate of the levels of take up of these benefits.
	The study is being conducted by the Policy Studies Institute and a report of the results of the first stage is planned to be available in spring 2007. Decisions on whether it is appropriate to move to the second stage of this three stage study will be based on the findings in that report.

Disabled People: Clwyd, South

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures his Department has taken to help disabled people in Clwyd, South since 1997.

Anne McGuire: Since 1997 the Government have significantly extended and improved civil rights for disabled people in areas such as employment, education, access to goods and services and transport, most recently through the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 which met our commitment to put in place a comprehensive and enforceable set of rights for disabled people. Disabled people in Clwyd, South will have benefited from these significant improvements in disability rights.
	The number of disabled people in Clwyd, South claiming disability living allowance or attendance allowance, and thus benefiting from the enhancement of independence and social integration that these benefits provide, has increased by almost 24 per cent. from around 6,200 in May 1997 to about 7,700 in May 2006. These include some 20 disabled three and four-year-old children who are unable, or virtually, unable to walk and are currently receiving the disability living allowance higher-rate mobility component following the Government's decision in 2001 to reduce the lower age limit for entitlement from five to three years of age(1).
	Through Jobcentre Plus, we are promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age. Since 1997 the number of long-term unemployed in Clwyd, South has fallen by 64 per cent. and the number of young people that are long-term unemployed by 47 per cent.
	Our new deals have helped lone parents, the young unemployed, the long-term unemployed, disabled people, the over-50s and partners of unemployed people to move from benefit into work. Nationally over 15 million people have been helped into work by the new deals, with over 3,700 in Clwyd, South.
	(1) The source of the 1997 aforementioned figures cited is the DWP Information Directorate: 5 per cent. sample. The source of the 2006 figures is the DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Equitable Life

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions  (a) ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have had with the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman on her report into Equitable Life; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: None. This is an issue for HM Treasury.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the reduction in costs to public funds of taxing Financial Assistance Scheme payments and not having to pay means-tested benefits to some of the recipients.

James Purnell: holding answer 12 December 2006
	We have not made an estimate of the reduction in costs to public funds of taxing Financial Assistance Scheme payments and not having to pay means-tested benefits to some of the recipients. It is difficult to estimate what the cost of the proposals would be after taking into account tax and benefit offsets.
	In order to consider what reduction there would be in the income-related benefits, we would need data on the income distribution of those benefiting from FAS, the tax brackets they are in and their benefit entitlements. We do not hold such data. We cannot use the data held on income distribution over the whole of the pensioner population, as we cannot know if this relatively small group of people are typical of the entire population. The same applies to estimating increases in tax revenue.

Harris Tweed Weavers

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what criteria the Benefits Agency applied when designating Harris Tweed weavers as self-employed, as opposed to unemployed, during periods when they have no work; and from which date this policy has been applied;
	(2)  what agreements were reached in 1988 by the Government regarding the entitlement to benefits of Harris Tweed weavers; what assessment he has made of the work patterns of weavers in the context of their entitlement to benefits; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 18 December 2006
	There was, and is, no specific benefit legislation to cover weavers. When deciding entitlement to benefits, weavers are treated in the same way as any other worker whose employment is seasonal.
	In any case of seasonal employment, the Department looks at the pattern of employment over a recognisable cycle, usually one year. If the average number of hours worked each week of this cycle is 16 or more the person is treated as in remunerative work for the whole of the period, and not entitled to benefit.
	If the average number of hours worked over the cycle is less than 16 per week the person may be entitled to benefit, depending on their income. Seasonal self-employed workers have their income, less any allowable deductions, averaged over the period of the work cycle to determine a weekly amount of earnings. An amount, usually 5 for a single person, is disregarded each week.
	The Harris Tweed weavers are designated as self-employed as, while they are provided with yarn to weave the tweed, they work on a self-employed rather than an employed basis. They cannot therefore be counted as unemployed during periods when they have no work.
	This policy has been applied since February 2006 following a decision from the Social Security Commissioners in October 2005.

Incapacity Benefit

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of people making a fresh claim for incapacity benefit in each year since 2000 had been in receipt of incapacity benefit during the previous 12 months.

Anne McGuire: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage of incapacity benefit on-flows who had been part of the incapacity benefits caseload during the previous 12 monthsMay 2000 to May 2006 
			  Year ending May  All (Percentage) 
			 2000 20.8 
			 2001 20.7 
			 2002 19.9 
			 2003 19.6 
			 2004 20.2 
			 2005 20.1 
			 2006 20.0 
			  Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Figures include incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and credits only cases. 3. Figures for the latest quarter do not include any late notifications and are subject to major changes in future quarters. For illustration purposes, total commencements for May 2004 increased by 18 per cent. in the year following their initial release. 4. Since April 2001 SDA has been closed to new claimants. The small number of SDA claimants shown as on flows are those who have had their claim deleted and rebuilt onto the system.  Source: DWP Information Directorate five per cent. sample and five per cent. terminations dataset

Incapacity Benefit

Alan Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each local authority ward in Darlington received incapacity benefit in each year since its introduction.

Anne McGuire: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  The number of incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants in each ward within Darlington local authority since 2000 
			   Year ending 
			  Ward name (by 2003 ward boundaries)  May 2000  May 2001  May 2002  May 2003  May 2004  May 2005  May 2006 
			 Bank Top 285 295 345 320 305 330 315 
			 Central 390 410 440 455 470 455 445 
			 Cockerton East 235 235 250 255 240 245 215 
			 Cockerton West 360 360 360 365 380 365 360 
			 College 135 130 135 125 125 130 120 
			 Eastbourne 370 360 380 395 390 390 355 
			 Faverdale 30 40 40 40 40 55 60 
			 Harrowgate Hill 240 240 250 270 260 235 225 
			 Haughton East 305 295 315 310 305 325 315 
			 Haughton North 175 190 175 185 185 170 165 
			 Haughton West 290 315 305 290 270 255 260 
			 Heighington and Coniscliffe 135 125 115 95 105 105 95 
			 Hummersknott 90 95 90 90 85 85 75 
			 Hurworth 130 130 135 125 140 145 145 
			 Lascelles 250 285 275 260 260 285 275 
			 Lingfield 215 205 205 220 215 215 220 
			 Middleton St. George 140 155 165 170 170 165 160 
			 Mowden 125 120 120 120 115 100 95 
			 North Road 415 440 435 430 435 425 410 
			 Northgate 335 330 345 360 360 360 360 
			 Park East 395 420 425 425 445 440 415 
			 Park West 105 110 120 130 120 120 115 
			 Pierremont 260 270 280 305 295 275 280 
			 Sadberge and Whessoe 65 60 70 70 70 80 70 
			  Notes:  1 .All figures supplied have been rounded to protect the confidentiality of claimants.  2. All data represent a snapshot in time of claimants on the computer system, and will therefore exclude a very small number of clerically held cases.  3. Figures include incapacity benefit credits only cases.  Source:  DWP Information Directorate, Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. Data.

Incapacity Benefit

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of incapacity related benefits had caring responsibilities in the latest year for which information is available.

Anne McGuire: As at May 2006 there were 11,320 people who were awarded both incapacity benefit and carer's allowance. Some or all of these people may be included in the 71,680 people in receipt of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance and income support (disability premium) (excluding minimum income guarantee) who had carer premiums in their benefit award.
	 Notes:
	1. IB/SDA claimant figures include all IB and SDA (including IB credits only cases).
	2. A smaller number of former MIG cases did not convert to pension credit on 6 October 2003. These cases have been excluded from the IS figures.
	3. Information Directorate, Work  Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) 100 per cent. data.
	 Source:
	DWP Information Directorate, Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study, 100 per cent. data

Leak Inquiries

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions his Department and its predecessor Department conducted a leak inquiry since May 1997; what the subject of each leak inquiry was; and who authorised each inquiry.

Anne McGuire: Since May 1997 the Department for Work and Pensions, and one of its predecessors, the Department of Social Security, has conducted 26 leak inquiries. Information in respect of its other predecessor, the Department for Education and Employment, is not available. This figure does not include any inquiries instigated by other Government Departments to which this Department has contributed.
	It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on the subject or outcome of leak inquiries as there is a continued necessity to safeguard security and investigative arrangements.

Local Government

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what targets his Department sets for local authorities.

James Plaskitt: The Department for Work and Pensions publishes performance standards for local authorities who administer housing benefit and council tax benefit. The performance standards contain 19 performance measures for a range of activities such as average times for processing new benefit claims and levels of accuracy in the calculation of benefit entitlement.
	The Department does not set specific targets for the performance measures but sets boundaries for levels of performance as follows:
	Excellent
	Good
	Meeting minimum requirements
	Not meeting minimum requirements
	Performance against the measures is reported to the Department on a quarterly basis. A risk assessment of the data forms the basis for decisions on monitoring, addressing poor performance and inspection activity by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate. In England, performance against the measures feeds into the comprehensive performance assessment.

Motability

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost to the Government is of the Motability scheme.

Anne McGuire: The Motability scheme provides a facility for recipients of the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance or war pensioners' mobility supplement to lease or purchase a car, powered wheelchair or scooter using their allowance. The scheme has some 450,000 customers at present.
	The transfer of disability living allowance for those customers who choose to use the Motability scheme is executed by a unit within the Disability and Carers Service at a cost of 3.7 million per year. Administration funding of 2.8 million is also provided to cover Motability's oversight role in respect of the scheme's operations which are undertaken by service providers under contract to Motability, the provision of technical advice on adaptations and converted vehicles, and the administration of safety advice and equipment testing.
	Motability also administers the Specialised Vehicles Fund on behalf of the Department, providing grants for heavily adapted vehicles for disabled people. Government funding for the Specialised Vehicles Fund for the current financial year is 9.1 million (Annually Managed Expenditure).
	In addition, the lease of cars under the Motability Scheme, and the end of lease sale of Motability vehicles are value added tax (VAT) zero-rated. Motability vehicles are also exempt from insurance premium tax. These reliefs are worth around 240 million and 8 million respectively per year. VAT zero-rating also applies to the supply of certain adapted motor vehicles for the use of disabled wheelchair users.

Mrs. Joanna Stephenson

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will instruct the Child Support Agency to pay the interest outstanding on the lump sum paid to Mrs. Joanna Stephenson (ref 321001948335) in May;
	(2)  if he will instruct the Child Support Agency to apply for a deduction from earnings order in relation to Mr. Derek Sinclair, former spouse of Mrs. Joanna Stephenson (ref 321001948335).

James Plaskitt: holding answers 19 December 2006
	The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the chief executive. He will write to the right hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions:
	and
	if he will instruct the Child Support Agency to apply for a deduction from earnings order in relation to Mr Derek Sinclair former spouse of Mrs Joanna Stephenson (ref 321001948335).
	As details about individual cases are confidential I have written to you separately about this case.

Occupational Pensions

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with HM Treasury on estimating the net cost of compliance with the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report on occupational pensions.

James Purnell: None.

Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department last met the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Secretary of State last met with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on 30 October and the Ombudsman met with my Department's Executive Team on 6 November.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many unanswered parliamentary questions from the 2005-06 parliamentary session were categorised as  (a) red,  (b) amber and  (c) green according to the recently introduced traffic light system used in his Department for processing questions; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Department does not keep formal records either of whether individual questions are colour-coded, or of what colour they are given if they are colour-coded. As there is no formal departmental monitoring system in place in relation to the trialling of the new system of colour coding; the information is not available.

Parliamentary Questions

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department operates an internal traffic light or colour-coded system to determine when replies are given to written parliamentary questions.

Anne McGuire: No.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has a traffic light system in place for processing parliamentary questions, where questions are categorised using a colour code.

Anne McGuire: The Department began trialing in October of this year an informal colour-coding system to identify questions of which press office should be made aware, and for which Ministers wish separate media briefing to be developed.

Parliamentary Questions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which Parliamentary Questions to his Department remained unanswered at the end of the last parliamentary session, broken down by subject.

Anne McGuire: The parliamentary questions that remained unanswered at the end of the last parliamentary Session are listed by subject in the following table:
	
		
			  Subject  Questions for which no reply was given by prorogation  Questions for which a prorogation reply was given 
			 Asylum Seekers 97512  
			 Benefit Forecasting 96113 99847 
			 Benefits 87319; 90187; 90447; 90452; 92106; 96316  
			 Bereavement Benefits  100048 
			 Carers Benefit  100197; 100199; 100202; 100203 
			 Child Poverty  97245; 99726 
			 Child Support 90200; 93027; 95083; 96302; 96953; 96966; 97031; 97192; 97193; 97194; 97200; 97201; 97287; 97306; 98099; 98101; 98247; 98326; 98327; 98328; 98329; 98758; 98929; 98930; 98931; 98932; 100236 99329; 99330 
			 City Strategy 96181  
			 Contracts 91702; 95159  
			 Correspondence 92914  
			 Employees 98318  
			 Employment 97659 99939 
			 Finance 96117; 96121; 96225; 97273  
			 Fraud 90545; 92840; 95996  
			 Green Issues 98250  
			 Health And Safety  99457; 100370; 100372 
			 Housing Benefit 99729 99728 
			 Incapacity Benefit 90186; 90464; 96115; 97459; 97461; 97462; 97463; 97464; 97465; 97466; 97467; 97468; 97469; 97470; 98854 100434 
			 Incomes 98381  
			 Industrial Injuries Benefits  99841; 99842; 99843 
			 Information Technology 88969; 97548; 97553 95860; 97550; 97551; 97554 
			 Interviews 94326  
			 Job Centre Plus 95056; 97135; 97136  
			 Jobseekers Allowance 97741 100060 
			 Local Authorities  99923 
			 Local Housing Allowance 96295  
			 Lone Parents 90189  
			 National Insurance Numbers 81749; 91212; 93435; 95685; 97296; 97445; 99577  
			 New Deal 90193; 90195; 95503; 96114; 96208  
			 Pathways Pilots 94262  
			 Pension Credit 90419; 90433; 90434; 90460  
			 Pension Service 96317  
			 Pensions 90202; 94084; 97658  
			 Personal Accounts 90441  
			 Poverty 90203; 91542  
			 Remploy 91765 97312 
			 Rent Service 100381; 100422; 100447  
			 State Pensions 90394; 90412; 90416; 90417; 90424; 90425; 90427; 90458; 90461; 95882; 96321; 96322; 96539; 96540; 96541; 97214 100457; 100460 
			 Welfare Reform 89720 100196

Parliamentary Questions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the average length of time taken to answer written parliamentary questions to his Department in each year since 2001.

Anne McGuire: For the period between 1 December 2005 and 30 November 2006 the Department took an average of 16.0 working days to respond to Commons written parliamentary questions.
	For the period from 1 June to 31 December 2005 I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given to the hon. Member for Yeovil on 7 March 2006,  Official Report, column 1352W. For the session 2002-03, I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given to the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West on 4 March 2004,  Official Report, columns 1056-57W.
	To obtain information for previous years would incur disproportionate cost. The Department seeks to answer all parliamentary questions according to parliamentary timescales.

Parliamentary Questions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department grades or classifies written parliamentary questions according to their political sensitivity.

Anne McGuire: The Department began trialling in October of this year a colour-coding system to identify questions of which press office should be made aware, and for which Ministers wish separate media briefing to be developed.

Parliamentary Questions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what systems are in place in his Department for classifying written parliamentary questions when they are tabled; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: No classification of Parliamentary Questions takes place when they are tabled.

Pension Credit

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each constituency in Scotland were in receipt of pension credit in each year since 2003; and how much was claimed in pension credit in each year.

James Purnell: The information is as follows.
	
		
			  Household recipients of pension credit and the amount of pension credit claimed by Scottish constituency in 2003 and 2004 
			  Parliamentary constituency  Pension credit household recipients November 2003 (thousand)  Amount of minimum income guarantee and pension credit claimed in 2003 ( million)  Pension credit household recipients May 2004 (thousand)  Amount of pension credit claimed in 2004 ( million) 
			  Pre 2005 
			 Aberdeen Central 2.66 5.40 3.09 6.54 
			 Aberdeen North 2.29 4.50 2.73 5.70 
			 Aberdeen South 2.25 4.24 2.67 5.26 
			 Airdrie and Shotts 3.98 8.90 4.65 10.85 
			 Angus 2.96 6.37 3.6 8.04 
			 Argyll and Bute 3.01 6.79 3.58 8.47 
			 Ayr 3.36 7.07 3.95 8.91 
			 Banff and Buchan 3.09 6.35 3.73 8.02 
			 Caithness Sunderland and Easter Ross 2.46 5.41 2.83 6.49 
			 Carrick Cumnock and Doon Valley 3.66 8.19 4.52 10.52 
			 Central Fife 2.92 6.24 3.7 7.84 
			 Clydebank and Milngavie 3.53 7.85 4.02 9.50 
			 Clydesdale 3.89 8.61 4.47 10.37 
			 Coatbridge and Chryston 3.6 7.74 4.14 9.51 
			 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 2.43 5.09 2.83 6.34 
			 Cunninghame North 3.42 7.21 4.04 9.06 
			 Cunninghame South 3.32 7.10 3.88 8.83 
			 Dumbarton 3.12 7.12 3.55 8.58 
			 Dumfries 3.4 6.73 4 8.46 
			 Dundee East 3.97 9.41 4.74 11.66 
			 Dundee West 3.72 8.78 4.37 10.72 
			 Dunfermline East 2.34 4.77 3 5.98 
			 Dunfermline West 1.74 3.55 2.19 4.45 
			 East Kilbride 3.11 6.35 3.83 8.15 
			 East Lothian 2.78 5.87 3.4 7.16 
			 Eastwood 2.32 5.10 2.74 6.38 
			 Edinburgh Central 2.29 5.47 2.78 6.71 
			 Edinburgh East and Musselburgh 3.14 7.47 3.79 8.97 
			 Edinburgh North and Leigh 2.54 6.19 3.08 7.56 
			 Edinburgh Pentlands 1.66 3.87 2.11 4.85 
			 Edinburgh South 2.28 5.45 2.73 6.50 
			 Edinburgh West 1.97 4.34 2.52 5.55 
			 Falkirk East 2.59 5.50 3.18 6.92 
			 Falkirk West 3.36 7.17 4.17 9.05 
			 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale 3.53 7.57 4.13 9.33 
			 Glasgow Anniesland 4.33 10.20 4.86 12.64 
			 Glasgow Baillieston 4.28 10.27 4.84 12.69 
			 Glasgow Cathcart 3.42 8.19 3.95 10.07 
			 Glasgow Govan 3.57 9.15 3.98 10.72 
			 Glasgow Kelvin 3.12 8.19 3.47 9.72 
			 Glasgow Maryhill 4.85 12.03 5.29 14.23 
			 Glasgow Pollok 4.29 9.70 4.92 12.12 
			 Glasgow Rutherglen 3.79 8.78 4.36 10.87 
			 Glasgow Shettleston 5.38 13.89 5.97 16.63 
			 Glasgow Springburn 5.46 13.21 6.11 15.96 
			 Gordon 2.12 4.02 2.65 5.06 
			 Greenock and Inverclyde 3.54 7.48 4.02 9.31 
			 Hamilton North and Bellshill 3.39 7.41 3.91 9.26 
			 Hamilton South 3.32 7.62 3.73 9.39 
			 Inverness East Nairn and Lochaber 2.96 6.13 3.51 7.77 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun 4.15 8.71 4.8^ 10.79 
			 Kirkcaldy 2.83 6.14 3.54 7.64 
			 Linlithgow 3.15 7.20 3.82 9.01 
			 Livingston 2.7 6.32 3.27 7.79 
			 Midlothian 2.16 4.71 2.79 5.90 
			 Moray 2.61 5.40 3.28 7.00 
			 Motherwell and Wishaw 3.99 8.55 4.58 10.43 
			 North East Fife 1.96 4.00 2.6 5.29 
			 North Tayside 3.28 6.84 3.98 8.54 
			 Ochil 2.56 5.60 3.26 7.22 
			 Orkney and Shetland 1.38 2.94 1.71 3.75 
			 Paisley North 3.12 6.87 3.65 8.43 
			 Paisley South 3.55 7.29 4.19 9.07 
			 Perth 2.74 6.16 3.42 7.92 
			 Ross Skye and Inverness West 3.14 6.85 3.66 8.33 
			 Roxburgh and Berwickshire 2.8 5.22 3.41 6.63 
			 Stirling 2.27 4.82 2.72 5.99 
			 Strathkelvin and Bearsden 2.28 5.14 2.63 6.23 
			 Tweeddale Ettrick and Lauderdale 2.17 4.21 2.75 5.53 
			 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 1.78 3.32 2.26 4.28 
			 West Renfrewshire 2.55 5.36 2.97 6.76 
			 Western Isles 1.98 4.25 2.32 5.36 
		
	
	
		
			  Household recipients of pension credit and the amount of pension credit claimed by Scottish constituency in 2005 and 2006 
			  Parliamentary constituency  Pension credit household recipients May 2005 ( million)  Amount of pension credit claimed in 2005 (thousand)  Pension credit household recipients May 2006 ( million)  Amount of pension credit claimed in 2006 (thousand) 
			  2005 onwards 
			 Aberdeen North 4.84 10.19 4.81 10.76 
			 Aberdeen South 3.16 6.37 3.23 6.85 
			 Airdrie and Shotts 5.36 12.52 5.43 13.44 
			 Angus 4.87 10.73 4.93 11.59 
			 Argyll and Bute 4.72 11.07 4.86 11.87 
			 Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock 5.72 13.64 5.81 14.58 
			 Banff and Buchan 4.58 9.68 4.67 10.40 
			 Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk 5.24 10.27 5.3 10.96 
			 Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 3.51 7.91 3.53 8.25 
			 Central Ayrshire 5.12 11.43 5.17 12.23 
			 Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill 6.04 14.06 6.09 14.90 
			 Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East 4.22 9.67 4.35 10.46 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 5.72 12.82 5.8 13.82 
			 Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale 4.53 9.48 4.61 10.21 
			 Dundee East 4.56 10.66 4.58 11.25 
			 Dundee West 6.02 14.76 6 15.47 
			 Dunfermline and West Fife 3.25 6.72 3.3 7.25 
			 East Dunbartonshire 2.34 5.77 2.47 6.36 
			 East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow 5.11 10.83 5.21 11.75 
			 East Lothian 4.55 9.60 4.62 10.23 
			 East Renfrewshire 3.01 7.00 3.05 7.53 
			 Edinburgh East 4.48 11.14 4.52 11.83 
			 Edinburgh North and Leith 3.56 8.75 3.54 9.22 
			 Edinburgh South 2.75 6.55 2.75 6.69 
			 Edinburgh South West 3.26 7.66 3.33 8.29 
			 Edinburgh West 3.33 7.31 3.37 7.63 
			 Falkirk 5.58 12.17 5.62 12.89 
			 Glasgow Central 6.61 18.88 6.53 19.68 
			 Glasgow East 7.9 20.97 7.92 21.87 
			 Glasgow North 4.16 11.47 4.17 11.89 
			 Glasgow North East 8.7 22.58 8.77 23.89 
			 Glasgow North West 6.52 16.95 6.5 17.70 
			 Glasgow South 5.51 14.27 5.59 15.20 
			 Glasgow South West 7.1 17.85 7.12 18.48 
			 Glenrothes 4.97 10.45 5.02 11.03 
			 Gordon 2.82 5.34 2.82 5.58 
			 Inverclyde 5.89 13.80 6 14.78 
			 Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey 3.95 8.67 4.11 9.42 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun 6.08 13.79 6.11 14.50 
			 Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath 5.09 10.81 5.15 11.64 
			 Lanark and Hamilton East 5.81 13.77 5.87 14.47 
			 Linlithgow and East Falkirk 5.43 12.31 5.45 12.72 
			 Livingston 4.48 10.81 4.62 11.47 
			 Midlothian 3.58 7.34 3.58 7.79 
			 Moray 4.09 8.63 4.24 9.18 
			 Motherwell and Wishaw 6.17 14.40 6.16 15.18 
			 Na h-Eileanan an Iar 2.49 5.74 2.52 6.08 
			 North Ayrshire and Arran 5.69 13.08 5.71 13.73 
			 North East Fife 3.21 6.27 3.24 6.72 
			 Ochil and South Perthshire 4.37 9.75 4.35 10.21 
			 Orkney and Shetland 1.94 4.25 1.98 4.57 
			 Paisley and Renfrewshire North 4.41 10.10 4.44 10.51 
			 Paisley and Renfrewshire South 5.74 12.50 5.69 12.98 
			 Perth and North Perthshire 4.47 10.08 4.56 10.72 
			 Ross, Skye and Lochaber 3.38 7.67 3.48 8.20 
			 Rutherglen and Hamilton West 6.76 16.75 6.82 17.50 
			 Stirling 3.55 7.90 3.63 8.60 
			 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 2.47 4.59 2.5 4.89 
			 West Dunbartonshire 6.62 16.04 6.8 17.62 
			 Unknown 0.46 1.12 0.33 1.12 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are consistent with the pre-Budget report 2006. 2. The amount claimed figures have been calculated using the average weekly amounts and case loads for November 2003, May 2004, May 2005 and May 2006. 3. Pension credit was introduced on 6 October 2003 and replaced minimum income guarantee (income support for people aged 60 or over). The vast majority of people who were previously in receipt of the minimum income guarantee transferred to pension credit in October 2003. 4. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household. 5. Constituencies are those used for the Westminster Parliament. For the May 2005 general election, the constituencies in Scotland changed.  Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data

Pension Credit

Alan Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are receiving pension credit in each local authority ward in Darlington; and what the total cost was of these payments in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Purnell: The answer is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Household recipients of pension credit and the cost of pension credit expenditure for wards in Darlington May 2006 
			  Ward name  Household recipients May 2006  Annual pension credit expenditure (000) 
			 Bank Top 350 911 
			 Central 340 848 
			 Cockerton, East 230 532 
			 Cockerton, West 425 1,107 
			 College 125 296 
			 Eastbourne 395 944 
			 Faverdale 30 76 
			 Harrowgate Hill 200 431 
			 Haughton, East 285 686 
			 Haughton, North 165 330 
			 Haughton, West 370 824 
			 Heighington and Coniscliffe 100 215 
			 Hummersknott 105 214 
			 Hurworth 150 315 
			 Lascelles 280 630 
			 Lingfield 275 628 
			 Middleton St. George 145 276 
			 Mowden 120 209 
			 North Road 505 1,162 
			 Northgate 230 594 
			 Park East 300 729 
			 Park West 115 254 
			 Pierremont 195 423 
			 Sadberge and Whessoe 65 151 
			 Darlington local authority total 5,490 12,785 
			  Notes: 1. Expenditure figures are consistent with the pre-Budget report 2006 and are rounded to the nearest thousand. 2. The number of households in receipt are rounded to a multiple of five. 3. As a result of 1. and 2. ward totals may not sum to area totals. 4. Caseloads and average weekly amounts for May 2006 have been used to calculate the annual expenditure figures for each ward in Darlington. 5. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household. 6. Wards are based on 2003 ward boundaries.  Source:  DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data

Pension Rights: Bankruptcy

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the estimate of the cost of reinstating the pensions of those pension scheme members covered by the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman referred to in the answer of 11 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1752W, on pensions, takes into account income from tax on all pensions and reductions in means-tested benefits payable.

James Purnell: holding answer 12 December 2006
	No. The length of time over which payments would be made makes it difficult to estimate what the cost would be after adjustments for increased tax revenue and reduced income-related benefit expenditure, as this would depend on the income distribution of people affected, the tax brackets they are in and their benefit entitlements.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has carried out of the impact on work incentives of  (a) reducing the number of qualifying years needed to receive a full basic state pension and  (b) gradually reducing the link between salary and state second pension accruals.

James Purnell: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 8 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 1639-40W.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how many pensioner benefit units in 2050 will face a  (a) 100 per cent. marginal rate of pension credit withdrawal if the White Paper reforms are implemented and  (b) a 40 per cent. marginal withdrawal rate if they are not.

James Purnell: The information requested is in the following table. The package of reforms in the White Paper Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pension System is designed to:
	promote personal responsibility: tackling the problem of undersaving for retirement;
	be fair: protecting the poorest, and being fair to women and carers, to savers, and between generations;
	be simple: clarifying the respective roles of the State, the employer and the individual;
	be affordable: maintaining macro-economic stability and striking the right balance for provision between the State, the employer and the individual; and
	be sustainable: setting the basis of an enduring national consensus, while being flexible to future trends.
	The reforms to state pensions will provide a solid foundation for private saving, both by limiting the spread of pension credit entitlement and by delivering a simpler and more predictable state pension outcome. Under the proposed reforms, even with the standard guarantee credit linked to earnings to protect the poorest, only 6 per cent. of pensioner households will be eligible to guarantee credit only, with 94 per cent. of pensioner household above the level where private saving income is taken into account pound for pound in pension credit. Furthermore, those with private savings of less than 15,000 could take them as a lump sum under the trivial commutation rules.
	The total number of pensioner households under the White Paper reforms is lower than the total number under the current system because of the phased increase in the state pension age starting in 2024.
	It cannot be assumed that all those with 100 per cent. marginal deduction rates are in receipt of the guarantee credit only. People on both guarantee credit and savings credit who qualify for additional amounts and are on the savings credit maximum will also have 100 per cent. marginal deduction rates.
	Numbers and proportions of pensioner benefit units in 2050 that will face:  (a) a 100 per cent. marginal rate of pension credit withdrawal if the White Paper reforms are implemented and  (b) a 40 per cent. marginal withdrawal rate if they are not.
	
		
			   Without reform 40 per cent. marginal deduction rates?current system standard guarantee credit uprated by earnings  White Paper reforms 100 per cent. marginal deduction rates?White Paper reforms 
			 Number of pensioner households in 2050 7,950,000 650,000 
			 Proportion of pensioner households in 2050 (%) 69 6 
			  Notes: 1. Estimates of the number of pensioner households eligible for pension credit are the mid-points of projections taken from two separate micro-simulation models. Modelling of the reform proposals does not include any increase in private saving from the introduction of personal accounts, which would reduce the numbers eligible for pension credit. 2. Care should be taken when interpreting these projections as they are subject to a margin of uncertainty. The projections are based on long run simulations of the incomes of individuals under a set of assumptions including life expectancy, partnership formation, earnings growth, employment rates, state and private pension accumulation. 3. Projections of the number of pensioner households eligible for pension credit are derived from the projected proportions eligible and projections of the number of pensioner households in Great Britain. 4. Estimates cover all those aged above women's state pension age in the private household population of Great Britain. 5. Estimates account for equalisation of state pension age between 2010 and 2020. They also account for the proposed further increases in state pension age described in the White Paper. The estimates assume that the minimum age at which people can claim pension credit rises in line with women's state pension age. 6. Projections under the White Paper proposals assume: continued earnings uprooting of the standard guarantee credit; the savings credit maximum is uprated by earnings from 2008 and then by prices from 2015; earnings uprating of the basic state pension from 2012; and measures to improve coverage of state pensions described in the White Paper. Figures exclude the effect of Personal Accounts. 7. Projections under the current system with guarantee credit earnings uprated assume: continued earnings uprating of the standard minimum guarantee; continued price uprating of the savings credit threshold and the basic state pension.  Source:  DWP microsimulation modelling

Pensions

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  in which overseas countries resident UK pensioners receive annual uprating of state pensions and other benefits;
	(2)  in which countries the  (a) basic state pension and  (b) other benefits of UK pensioners are not uprated annually; and how many UK pensioners are affected in each country.

James Purnell: Annual upratings of the state pension, which is generally the only benefit paid to pensioners abroad, are paid under:
	 (a) the EC's Social Security Regulations, which apply to pensioners who have a UK state pension living in the European economic area and Switzerland; and
	 (b) reciprocal social security agreements with other countries, which allow for increases to be paid there.
	The countries with which the UK has reciprocal agreements which allow state pension upratings to be paid are: Barbados, Bermuda, the Channel Islands, Cyprus, Israel, Jamaica, Malta, Mauritius, the Philippines, Turkey, the USA and the now separate republics of the former Yugoslavia the state union of Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). State pensions are not uprated in any other country.
	The information about the frozen rate countries and the number of pensioners in those countries has been placed in the Library.

Pensions

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) Canadian and  (b) Australian pensioners residing in the UK are in receipt of (i) pension credit and (ii) other means-tested benefits; and what the total annual cost is of these benefits to each category of pensioner.

James Purnell: The information is not available as nationality data is not collected by the Department's administration systems.

Pensions

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Government's position is on the possible recovery of costs from pension scheme members seeking judicial review of the Government's policy in respect of lost occupational pension rights; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: As is normal practice in these matters, we will consider the issue of recovering our legal costs at the end of the proceedings.

Pensions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what negotiations he has entered into with employee and employer organisations concerning Section 67 of the Pensions Act 1995; and what plans he has to allow employers and trustees of pension funds to negotiate downwards what they pay existing pensioners.

James Purnell: None.
	I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Bury, North (Mr. Chaytor) on 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 161W.

Pensions

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures he is taking to encourage  (a) employers with existing occupational pension schemes to maintain them and  (b) those without such schemes to introduce them.

James Purnell: We value the important role that employers with occupational pension schemes play in encouraging individuals to save for their retirement. That is why the White Paper Security in retirement: towards a new pensions system announced a rolling deregulatory review of private pensions regulation to investigate further ways to lighten the regulatory burden on business, with a view to encouraging and strengthening existing provision.
	We also said that we would remove some of the administrative complexity by abolishing contracting out for defined contribution schemes, and by allowing occupational pension schemes to convert guaranteed minimum pension rights into scheme benefits by offering the actuarial equivalent in exchange. Measures to achieve this are contained in the Pensions Bill recently introduced in Parliament.
	We are determined that alongside the introduction of personal accounts, employers should be supported in continuing to provide occupational pension schemes. We will help by making the exemption process for high quality schemes as simple and straightforward as possible.
	The Government have also lightened the regulatory burden imposed by the tax rules on schemes, and employers providing them, by bringing in key legislation in the Finance Act 2004 to replace the complex pension tax rules with one simplified regime from April 2006. Employers providing registered pension schemes for their employees continue to receive full tax relief on the value of contributions they make to those schemes.

Private Finance Initiative

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total capital value is of each private finance initiative scheme overseen by his Department which has reached financial close; over what period repayments will take place; and what the total cost of repayment will be.

Anne McGuire: The capital values for the combined PRIME and expanded PRIME contracts are 455 million. The contract period is 1 April 1998 to 31 March 2018.
	The total repayments including rates and utilities is forecast to be 11.5 billion. The Unitary Charge element, based on actual cash payments to date plus estimated payments to the end of the contract at 2018, is estimated to be 9.7 billion. The balance between the 11.5 billion and the 9.7 billion is accounted for by rates and utility pass through costs.

Public Bodies: Staff

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of staff of each public body responsible to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions were  (a) on fixed term appointments and  (b) agency workers in each of the last three years.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The number of civil servants on fixed term appointments at 31 March in non-departmental public bodies excluding the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last three years is shown in Table 1.
	Historic information on the number of agency workers in these public bodies is not available but a recent exercise shows there are currently no agency staff employed.
	Table 2 shows the number of civil servants on fixed term appointments in the Health and Safety Executive. The numbers for agency workers are also available and are included in the table as numbers and percentages.
	
		
			  Table 1: Non-departmental public bodies excluding health and safety executive 
			   31 March 2004  31 March 2005  31 March 2006 
			   Number of FTA  Percentage of total staff  Number of FTA  Percentage of total staff  Number of FTA  Percentage of total staff 
			 Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority 4 8.3 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 Independent Review Service 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 Pensions Ombudsman 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 Social Security Advisory Committee 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 Office of the Pensions Ombudsman 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			  Note: Figures are full-time equivalent (rounded) and are consistent with Office for National Statistics definitions. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Health and safety executive 
			  As at 31 March each year  Number of FTA  Percentage of total staff  Number of agency staff  Percentage of total staff 
			 2004 11 0.3 115 2.9 
			 2005 11 0.3 100 2.6 
			 2006 29 0.8 88 2.4 
			  Note: Figures are full -time equivalent (rounded) and are consistent with Office for National Statistics definitions.

Retirement Age

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 189-90W, on the retirement age, what his Department's policy is on the application of the national default retirement age to staff below the senior civil service.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pension has abolished its mandatory retirement age for all staff below senior civil service grades from 1 October 2006. The minimum principal civil service pension scheme pensionable age of 60 has not changed, which means that staff can choose when they wish to retire, and claim their full pension benefits, from age 60 onwards. The Department will assume staff wish to continue to work unless they tell us otherwise.

Rural Support

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what programmes his Department operates to make particular provision in rural areas; and what the cost of such programmes is expected to be in 2007-08.

Jim Murphy: Our welfare to work programmes are delivered primarily at local level through Jobcentre Plus and local partnerships and are generally tailored to meet the particular needs of individuals. Additional support is targeted at those areas in greatest need, with the lowest employment rates, regardless of whether they are in urban or rural locations.
	We have recently introduced the Deprived Area Fund (DAF) which is a flexible discretionary fund targeting the most disadvantaged wards, some of which include rural areas. This initiative is intended to feed into our Public Service Agreement target of increasing the employment rate in the 903 wards with the worst initial labour market position. The fund is given to local Jobcentre Plus districts to tackle the particular employment problems faced by their communities and the individuals living within them.
	Information on the costs of providing such programmes in rural areas alone could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on administration costs of disbursing benefits for  (a) children,  (b) working-age adults,  (c) pensioners and  (d) disabled people in each year since 1996-97.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 12 December 2006
	The information is not available in the format requested. Producing information in this format would be at disproportionate cost to the Department.

Vacancies: West Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job vacancies were notified to the job centre in West Chelmsford constituency in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 12 December 2006
	The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Vacancies notified to Jobcentre Plus in the West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency 
			  Month of notification  Number of vacancies 
			  2005  
			 November 860 
			 December 650 
			   
			  2006  
			 January 380 
			 February 640 
			 March 570 
			 April 790 
			 May 450 
			 June 550 
			 July 740 
			 August 640 
			 September 900 
			 October 1,810 
			  Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Jobcentre Plus boundaries do not match directly to parliamentary constituency boundaries. Therefore, figures quoted are aggregate totals for vacancies notified in the West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency.  Source: DWP Information Directorate Jobcentre Plus Labour Market System.

Widowers: Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library copies of all instructions and bulletins issued to staff since 1996 on the processing of applications from widowers for benefits following changes to the rules for such applications.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 18 December 2006
	Current bulletins, together with guidance on the processing of applications from widowers, will be placed in the library by mid January 2007. Older instructions will take longer to collect and we will endeavour to place this in the Library by mid February 2007.

TREASURY

Pensions

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the annual state second pension payments which will be made based upon the Pensions White Paper proposals in each year from 2006 to 2052.

James Purnell: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested on state second pension payments is not available. Estimates of the annual cost of the state second pension are shown in the following table. The costs are consistent with those shown in the Pensions Bill Regulatory Impact Assessment and include proposals for a simplified state second pension.
	
		
			   Cash ( billion)  Real terms 2006-07 prices ( billion)  Percentage of GDP 
			 2006 9.3 9.3 0.7 
			 2007 10.4 10.1 0.8 
			 2008 11.5 10.9 0.8 
			 2009 12.5 11.5 0.8 
			 2010 13.5 12.1 0.8 
			 2011 14.5 12.7 0.8 
			 2012 15.6 13.3 0.9 
			 2013 16.7 13.8 0.9 
			 2014 17.8 14.4 0.9 
			 2015 19.0 14.9 0.9 
			 2016 20.2 15.4 0.9 
			 2017 21.4 15.9 0.9 
			 2018 22.7 16.4 0.9 
			 2019 24.0 16.9 0.9 
			 2020 25.6 17.5 1.0 
			 2021 27.4 18.2 1.0 
			 2022 29.5 19.0 1.0 
			 2023 31.7 19.9 1.0 
			 2024 33.5 20.5 1.0 
			 2025 34.9 20.7 1.0 
			 2026 36.9 21.3 1.0 
			 2027 39.8 22.4 1.1 
			 2028 42.8 23.4 1.1 
			 2029 46.2 24.6 1.1 
			 2030 49.8 25.8 1.2 
			 2031 53.6 27.0 1.2 
			 2032 57.7 28.2 1.2 
			 2033 62.0 29.5 1.3 
			 2034 65.4 30.3 1.3 
			 2035 67.8 30.6 1.2 
			 2036 71.7 31.4 1.3 
			 2037 77.2 33.0 1.3 
			 2038 83.3 34.6 1.3 
			 2039 89.8 36.2 1.4 
			 2040 96.6 37.9 1.4 
			 2041 103.8 39.6 1.4 
			 2042 111.2 41.3 1.5 
			 2043 119.1 43.0 1.5 
			 2044 125.3 44.1 1.5 
			 2045 129.7 44.4 1.5 
			 2046 136.9 45.6 1.5 
			 2047 147.7 47.8 1.5 
			 2048 159.6 50.3 1.6 
			 2049 172.5 52.8 1.6 
			 2050 186.1 55.4 1.7 
			  Note:  Figures are in  billion in 2006-07 prices and are for all UK and overseas pensioners. They include SERPS/simplified S2P and graduated retirement benefit (GRB).

WORK AND PENSIONS

Occupational Pensions

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of trends in the provision of occupational pension schemes.

James Purnell: Results from the Employers' Pension Provision Survey show that in 2000 and 2003, 7 per cent. of private sector firms in Great Britain provided occupational pensions. In 2005 occupational pensions were provided by 6 per cent. of private sector firms in 2005, these firms employed 44 per cent. of all private sector employees.

New Deal

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what benchmarks he uses to measure the performance of the new deal.

Jim Murphy: The new deal has been a real successhelping 1.65 million people in total back into work. We now spend 5 billion less per year on unemployment benefits than a decade ago.

Disabled People

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research his Department has commissioned on simplifying the benefits system for disabled people.

James Plaskitt: We are aware of the importance of making the benefits system as easy and straightforward as possible for disabled people to use.
	The new employment and support allowance will be a single new benefit combining earnings replacement and the income related elements for those people with health problems or disabilities.
	This approach will make the system easier to understand for claimants and smooth the administration of the new benefit.

Health and Safety at Work

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made in improving health and safety at work since 1997.

James Plaskitt: The number of fatal injuries to employers per annum has fallen from 287 in 1997 to 212 in 2005-06. Great Britain now has the lowest incidence of worker fatality in Europe. The number of working days lost to ill-health is also falling steadily.

Earnings Link

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the timing of restoring the earnings link.

James Purnell: The White Paper Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pensions System states that the earnings link will be restored to the basic state pension. The objective is that this will be done, subject to affordability and the fiscal position, in 2012 but in any event at the latest by the end of the next Parliament. We have said that we will make a statement on the precise date at the beginning of the next Parliament.
	This commitment is set out in the Pensions Bill which was published on 29 November.

Benefit Recipients: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many in each electoral ward of Peterborough constituency have been in receipt of  (a) jobseekers allowance,  (b) incapacity benefit and  (c) disability living allowance since 2001 in each electoral ward; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The available information is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Jobseeker's allowance claimants in each electoral ward in Peterborough parliamentary constituency 
			   As at May: 
			  Ward name  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Bretton North 160 125 155 165 205 220 
			 Bretton South 45 45 40 35 50 60 
			 Central 280 280 325 300 315 345 
			 Dogsthorpe 210 170 160 150 185 205 
			 East 235 195 200 190 230 275 
			 North 65 55 95 85 95 110 
			 Park 100 85 135 120 145 135 
			 Paston 145 110 135 135 160 185 
			 Ravensthorpe 155 120 145 140 180 180 
			 Walton 80 75 65 75 80 95 
			 Werrington North 75 60 75 65 85 90 
			 Werrington South 30 45 35 40 40 30 
			 West 45 60 75 60 80 70 
			  Notes: 1. Case load figures are rounded to the nearest five; some additional disclosure control has also been applied. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Case loads are for all entitled cases and so include cases where payment has been suspended.  Source: DWP Information Directorate. 
		
	
	
		
			  Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants in each electoral ward in Peterborough parliamentary constituency 
			   As at May: 
			  Ward name  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Bretton North 455 480 490 490 485 485 
			 Bretton South 110 115 120 130 130 130 
			 Central 630 630 650 600 595 570 
			 Dogsthorpe 590 605 605 595 635 600 
			 East 555 560 535 570 565 555 
			 North 280 310 315 325 335 355 
			 Park 265 275 255 255 260 270 
			 Paston 425 455 450 455 470 460 
			 Ravensthorpe 390 420 430 445 420 425 
			 Walton 220 225 230 225 240 240 
			 Werrington North 265 275 265 265 270 265 
			 Werrington South 175 165 170 175 180 165 
			 West 255 240 230 225 230 240 
			  Notes: 1. Case load figures are rounded to the nearest five; some additional disclosure control has also been applied. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Case loads are for all entitled cases and so include cases where payment has been suspended.  Source: DWP Information Directorate. 
		
	
	
		
			  Disability living allowance claimants in each electoral ward in Peterborough parliamentary constituency 
			   As at May: 
			  Ward name  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Bretton North 415 465 470 465 470 
			 Bretton South 90 90 100 100 110 
			 Central 490 505 495 500 505 
			 Dogsthorpe 495 530 550 570 580 
			 East 460 505 540 525 520 
			 North 300 330 345 355 375 
			 Park 220 225 240 260 265 
			 Paston 405 435 435 465 460 
			 Ravensthorpe 385 410 395 385 410 
			 Walton 230 235 245 255 270 
			 Werrington North 275 285 295 310 310 
			 Werrington South 170 175 185 195 190 
			 West 230 245 250 265 250 
			  Notes: 1. Case load figures are rounded to the nearest five; some additional disclosure control has also been applied. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Case loads are for all entitled cases and so include cases where payment has been suspended. 4. Data for disability living allowance at ward level are not available prior to 2002.  Source: DWP Information Directorate.

Benefits

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of children living in households with no adult in work in  (a) each London borough and  (b) the UK are (i) in single parent households, (ii) in a household with at least one parent claiming incapacity benefit and (iii) in a household with at least one adult on jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The available information is in the table.
	Data are only available for Great Britain not for the UK. A London borough has been interpreted as a local authority. A workless household is a household containing someone claiming either income support, jobseeker's allowance, incapacity benefit/severe disability allowance, or pension credit.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Proportion of children in workless households with: 
			   A lone parent  At least one parent claiming incapacity benefit  At least one parent claiming jobseeker's allowance 
			 Great Britain 78 26 8 
			 
			  London local authorities:
			 City of London 73 23 15 
			 Barking and Dagenham 81 18 8 
			 Barnet 81 18 9 
			 Bexley 86 16 7 
			 Brent 80 19 8 
			 Bromley 84 17 7 
			 Camden 77 20 9 
			 Croydon 84 16 7 
			 Ealing 79 20 8 
			 Enfield 79 20 8 
			 Greenwich 85 15 6 
			 Hackney 80 17 6 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 84 17 5 
			 Haringey 81 18 7 
			 Harrow 79 21 9 
			 Havering 83 22 6 
			 Hillingdon 83 19 8 
			 Hounslow 81 20 7 
			 Islington 84 17 6 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 80 22 5 
			 Kingston upon Thames 83 18 8 
			 Lambeth 88 12 6 
			 Lewisham 86 15 6 
			 Merton 81 15 11 
			 Newham 75 19 10 
			 Redbridge 76 20 11 
			 Richmond upon Thames 83 19 8 
			 Southwark 87 14 6 
			 Sutton 84 18 7 
			 Tower Hamlets 57 21 19 
			 Waltham Forest 79 17 10 
			 Wandsworth 83 15 8 
			 Westminster 73 29 7 
			  Notes: 1. All figures supplied have been rounded to protect the confidentiality of claimants. 2. All data represent a snapshot in time of claimants on the computer system, and will therefore exclude a very small number of cases that are held clerically. 3. Data represent children dependent on a parent or guardian claiming one or more of the following benefits: incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance, jobseeker's allowance, income support or pension credit. 4. Due to the introduction of child tax credits in April 2003, information on child dependents are not reliably completed on the benefit computer system. Therefore children have been merged onto IS/JSA/IB/SDA/PC claims from child benefit with permission of HMRC. 5. Partner status refers to cases with a partner recorded on the system only and is not a definitive measure of singles/couples. 6. Incapacity benefit status excludes residual SDA cases.  Source: DWP Information Directorate, April 2006

Child Poverty

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in the UK have been in absolute low income poverty in each year since 1979-80; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: Specific information regarding low income for Great Britain is available in Households Below Average Income 1994-952004-05. The survey from which estimates are provided started in 1994-95. There is no data source consistent with the Family Resources Survey for the years prior to 1994-95.
	Absolute low income is defined as being below 60 per cent. of 1996-97 median income held constant in real terms. The information in the following table is shown on a before housing costs and an after housing costs basis.
	
		
			  Number of children living in absolute low income 
			   Number of children (million) 
			  Financial year  Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			 1994-95 3.3 4.3 
			 1995-96 3.2 4.4 
			 1996-97 3.2 4.2 
			 1997-98 3.0 4.0 
			 1998-99 2.8 3.9 
			 1999-2000 2.4 3.6 
			 2000-01 2.0 3.0 
			 2001-02 1.6 2.5 
			 2002-03 1.5 2.2 
			 2003-04 1.4 2.2 
			 2004-05 1.4 1.9 
			  Source: Family Resources Survey

Child Poverty

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of children in poverty, broken down by age band; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: Low income is defined as being below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income. The information is shown in the following tables, on a before housing costs and after housing costs basis.
	
		
			  Children living in low-income households, by age band before housing costs, 1994-95, 1996-97 and 2004-05 
			  Percentage 
			  Age band  1994-95  1996-97  2004-05 
			 Under 5 years old 22 23 16 
			 5-10 years old 26 27 19 
			 11 years old and over 22 24 22 
			 All Children 23 25 19 
		
	
	
		
			  Children living in low-income households, by age band after housing costs, 1994-95, 1996-97 and 2004-05 
			  Percentage 
			  Age band  1994-95  1996-97  2004-05 
			 Under 5 years old 33 35 27 
			 5-10 years old 34 36 28 
			 11 years old and over 27 30 27 
			 All Children 31 33 27 
			  Source: Family Resources Survey 2004-05.

Electrical Engineers

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many qualified electrical engineers are unemployed in  (a) Wantage constituency,  (b) Oxfordshire and  (c) the South East.

Jim Murphy: The requested information is not available.

Home Responsibilities Protection

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of home responsibilities protection have a youngest child aged  (a) between six and 11 and  (b) 12 years or over.

James Purnell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 14 December 2006,  Official Report, column 1336W to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws).

Income Levels

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the income thresholds used in paragraph 7 of the reply by the Government to the Second Report of the Work and Pensions Select Committee of Session 2003-04, Cm 6200, are in weekly amounts of income in 2004-05 prices  (a) before and  (b) after housing costs for (i) relative low income and (ii) absolute low income (A) couples with no children (equivalised income benchmark), (B) single people with no children, (C) couples with four children under 16, (D) single people with four children under 16, (E) couples with two children aged five and 11, (F) single people with two children aged five and 11, (G) couples with one child aged five and (H) single people with one aged five.

Jim Murphy: The available information is in the following table:
	
		
			   per week 
			   Low income thresholds (weekly) 
			   Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			 Relative low income 194 172 
			 Absolute low income 166 140 
			  Source:  Households Below Average Income 2002-03

Jobcentre Plus

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will investigate the performance of the office of the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus in replying to correspondence from hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: From January 2006 to November 2006 the Jobcentre Plus Chief Executive responded to 2,848 letters from MPs. Jobcentre Plus are currently achieving their target of responding to 90 per cent. of letters within 20 days and have achieved this target in each of the last two years.

Lone Parents

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what proportion of lone parents who have had contact with an Employment Zone adviser have moved into work in  (a) London and  (b) Great Britain;
	(2)  what evaluation his Department has undertaken of the effectiveness of  (a) Employment Zone provision for lone parents and  (b) the New Deal for lone parents;
	(3)  what estimate his Department has made of the cost per job placement of  (a) Employment Zone provision for lone parents and  (b) the New Deal for lone parents.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 14 December 2006
	38 per cent. of lone parents who have had contact with Employment Zone (EZ) advisers in Great Britain and 36 per cent. of lone parents who have had contact with EZ advisers in London have moved into work.
	Nine reports on EZs(1) and 23 reports on NDLP(2) have been published and are available in the Library. A list of the most recent reports is reproduced in the list.
	Latest available data indicate that the cost of helping lone parents into work is around 1,900 per person through EZs and around 600 per person through NDLP. Direct comparisons cannot be drawn between the costs of helping someone into work through EZs and NDLP. EZs operate in some of the most disadvantaged areas in the country while the New Deals operate nationally. In London EZ areas, employment support is provided to lone parents through EZs rather than through NDLP. Outside London, lone parents in EZ areas are offered help through NDLP at their first work-focused interview (WFI), but can choose between EZ and NDLP support if they continue to claim income support and have a second WFI. This increases the likelihood of such EZ participants requiring additional, and thus more costly, support to help them into work.
	(1) DWP Research Report 312 (2005). Rita Griffiths, Stuart Durkin and Alison Mitchell (2005) Evaluation of the Single Provider Employment Zone Extension.
	DWP Research Report 228: Insite Research (2005). Rita Griffiths and Gerwyn Jones (2005) Evaluation of Single Provider Employment Zone Extensions to Young People, Lone Parents and Early Entrants: Interim report.
	DWP Research Report 310 (2006). Andy Hirst, Roger Tarling, Morgane Lefaucheux, Christina Short, Sini Rinne, Alan MacGregor, Andrea Glass, Martin Evans and Claire Simm. Evaluation of Multiple Provider Employment Zones: early implementation issues.
	DWP Research Report 399 (2006). Policy Research Institute. Phase 2 Evaluation of Multiple Provider Employment Zones: qualitative study.
	(2) DWP Research Report 368 (August 2006). Lone Parent Work Focused Interviews/New Deal for Lone Parents Combined Evaluation and Further Net Impacts. Knight, Speckesser, Smith, Dolton, Azevedo.
	DWP Research Report 367 (August 2006).Lone Parents In-Work Benefit Calculation: Work and Benefit Outcomes. Knight, Kasparova.
	DWP Research Report 356 (June 2006).The Econometric Evaluation of New Deal for Lone Parents. Dolton, Azevedo and Smith.
	DWP Research Report 319 (February 2006). Work Focused Interviews and Lone Parent Initiatives: Further Analysis of Policies and Pilots. Andrew Thomas and Dr. Gerwyn Jones.
	DWP Research Report 315 (February 2006). Lone Parent Work Focused Interviews and Review Meetings: Administrative Data Analyses and Qualitative Evidence. Genevieve Knight and Andrew Thomas.
	DWP Research Report 237 (March 2005). Evaluation of the Extension to Lone Parent Work Focused Interview Eligibility: Administrative Data Analysis. Genevieve Knight and Steve Lissenburgh.
	DWP Research Report 184 (March 2004). Integrated Findings from the Evaluation of the First 18 months of Lone Parent Work Focused Interviews. Andy Thomas and Rita Griffiths.

Pensioner Benefits: Warrington

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Warrington were in receipt of  (a) winter fuel payments,  (b) pension credit and  (c) home energy efficiency grants in the last year for which figures are available.

James Purnell: Last winter 36,790 pensioners in Warrington received a winter fuel payment. In August 2006 9,680 pensioners in Warrington received pension credit. Between June 2000 and December 2006 3,660 pensioner households in Warrington received home energy efficiency grants.
	 Notes
	1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	3. Information on the number of households receiving home energy efficiency grants supplied by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Other information taken from Information Directorate 100 per cent. sample.

Take-up Rates: Scotland

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the take-up rate is for  (a) pension credit,  (b) basic state pension,  (c) winter fuel payment,  (d) housing benefit and  (e) council tax benefit in (i) the Highland Council area, (ii) Scotland, (iii) the UK and (iv) Glasgow.

James Purnell: Take-up estimates are available for Great Britain only.
	Estimates of take-up of pension credit administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), as well as local authority administered housing benefit and council tax benefit, can be found in the DWP publication series entitled: Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up. Latest estimates relate to the year 2004-05. Copies of the latest publication are available in the Library.
	Take-up of the basic state pension cannot be calculated accurately. However, the pensioners' income series indicates that 98 per cent. of pensioner benefit units were in receipt of some state pension in 2004-05. Those not in receipt may include pensioners who are deferring their state pension and those who have mis-reported the source of their income.
	Information on the take-up of winter fuel payment is not available.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Parliament: Public Awareness

John Robertson: To ask the Leader of the House what steps he has considered to strengthen the relationship between hon. Members and the public.

Nigel Griffiths: I know that all hon. Members believe that it is vital to engage with constituents and organisations at all levels.
	My right hon. Friend, the Leader of the House has brought forward the proposal for a communications allowance, currently being considered by the Members Estimate Committee, designed to assist with Members' contacts with their constituents.
	Here in Parliament, we want the public to feel that they can contribute more directly to the legislative process, which is why recent reforms introduced the taking of oral and written evidence by Public Bill Committees (which replaced Standing Committees).
	My right hon. Friend, has promoted these and other measures and we welcome further suggestions from parliamentary colleagues.

Official Report: Ministerial Corrections

Andrew Selous: To ask the Leader of the House if he will make a statement on progress on how ministerial corrections are to be incorporated into the  Official Report.

Jack Straw: Following my answer to the hon. Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Bone) on 28 November 2006,  Official Report column 498-99W, this remains under discussion with the  Official Report.

House of Lords Reform

Bob Spink: To ask the Leader of the House what recent consultations he has undertaken on reform of the House of Lords.

Jack Straw: I have been working with colleagues on all sides of both Houses over the recent months as part of an intensive effort to reach a consensus on how a future House of Lords may look. I intend to bring forward a White Paper soon, setting out the Government's proposals on composition and transition, which will take account of the recent Joint Committee on Conventions report, and the on-going cross-party discussions. A free vote in both Houses on the composition of the House will then follow.

Members' Salaries

Simon Burns: To ask the Leader of the House how many hon. Members, including Ministers, receive more than the basic hon. Member's salary.

Jack Straw: As at 1 January 2007, 162 Members receive more than the basic hon. Members salary.

Political Party Funding

Nick Brown: To ask the Leader of the House which representatives of each of the three main political parties had discussions with Sir Hayden Phillips during November and December.

Jack Straw: The Prime Minister has asked Sir Hayden Phillips to undertake an independent review of the system of political party funding. Sir Hayden Phillips is currently undertaking negotiations with the three main political parties. It is for Sir Hayden Phillips to say which representatives of the other political parties he has met. He has met my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, the Minister without Portfolio and me; in addition to other Cabinet Ministers and the relevant officials and special advisers.

Retirement Age

Mike Hancock: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 189-90W, on the retirement age, what his Department's policy is on the application of the national default retirement age to staff below the Senior Civil Service.

Jack Straw: In line with the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations, the Privy Council Office has a compulsory retirement age of 65 for all grades.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

IT Support Services

Christopher Chope: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of IT support services for hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The Commission receives occasional reports on the performance of specific ICT services and inquires about specific issues as the need arises. In the last year the Commission has received reports on the renewal of Members IT equipment, the performance of the Virtual Private Network and the creation of PICT, as the new parliamentary ICT Service.
	Surveys of Members and their staff's views of all parliamentary services are undertaken regularly and a substantial survey will be conducted during the first part of this year.
	The Administration Committeeon which the hon. Member servesis undertaking an inquiry into Members' ICT at present and the Commission will respond to that report in good time.

Video Conferencing

Keith Vaz: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what plans he has to provide for further video conferencing facilities for the use of hon. Members.

Nick Harvey: At present a portable video-conference facility can be booked via the Serjeant at Arms Department by Members for their use in some of the meeting rooms in Portcullis House. New equipment was introduced in the summer of 2006.
	In the longer term, Westminster office-to-constituency-office video-conferencing will be considered as part of a larger initiative to improve IT services to constituencies.

TRANSPORT

Car Registration

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cars are registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of cars currently licensed as at December 2005 is 26,207,656.

Driving Examiners

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving examiners are off duty due to  (a) injury and  (b) other reasons resulting from incidents during driving examinations.

Stephen Ladyman: The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) estimates that 43 driving examiners are off duty due to injuries on test. DSA cannot be certain about this figure as injuries are sometimes not reported as having an industrial cause until late in the absence.
	It is currently not possible to define those off duty due to other reasons. This is because DSA uses separate computer systems that cannot link these events. DSA plans to introduce a system that will allow for this information to be retrieved in April 2007.

Driving Examiners

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what protection from  (a) verbal or  (b) physical assault is provided for driving examiners.

Stephen Ladyman: As part of their initial training course new entrant driving examiners receive a presentation on how to handle aggressive and violent members of the public. They are shown how to read body language and to defuse tension in order to prevent problems escalating.
	Some test centres have panic buttons linked to alarms, and personal attack alarms have been issued in appropriate instances. Posters are displayed prominently in the practical test centres stating that DSA will seek to prosecute anyone who threatens examiners.

Driving Examiners

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines his Department issues on action to be taken against people who verbally or physically assault driving examiners.

Stephen Ladyman: The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has published a health and safety advice note which sets out the procedure to follow in the event of an assault. DSA has also formulated an assaults policy. Both documents have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	Incidents are recorded on the booking system to ensure that if there is a further application for a test, the examiner is made aware of the risk. In the cases of prior physical assault by the candidate, arrangements will be made for a second examiner to be present for the duration of the test.
	Examiners are encouraged to report all instances of threats or physical assault to the police for further action. Non-physical incidents are followed up by letter to the candidate concerned requiring an assurance that it will not be repeated.
	The agency has no statutory authority to refuse to accept a test booking or conduct a practical test due to a risk of physical or verbal abuse to examiners.
	DSA will support any legal action initiated by driving examiners in respect of assaults suffered.

Driving Examiners

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines his Department issues on action to be taken against people who make unfounded complaints and allegations against driving examiners.

Stephen Ladyman: The Driving Standards Agency investigates all complaints made against driving examiners. There are no formal guidelines on action to be taken against people who make unfounded complaints or allegations.
	However, DSA would support appropriate action initiated by examiners against persons considered to be victimising, harassing or behaving in a malicious fashion towards them.

Driving Examiners

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what support is available to driving examiners who have experienced psychological trauma as a result of unfounded allegations being made against them.

Stephen Ladyman: Driving examiners who have experienced trauma have the full support of their line management, human resources and the counselling and support service.
	All potential physiological and psychological trauma is treated sympathetically.
	In respect of potential psychological trauma, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has published a 'Stress guide' for use by staff. Externally, DSA contracts Westfield Health Services to provide psychological counselling for all staff, and conditions are assessed and recommendations made by the occupational health adviser.

Freight

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking  (a) to open up smaller ports around the UK for freight and  (b) to promote the transportation of freight around the UK using sea routes to smaller regional ports.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is as follows.
	 (a) The Department actively encourages small ports to make the most of the opportunities for increasing freight traffic. Through Modernising Trust Ports and Opportunities for Ports in Local Authority Ownership, and through continuing partnership with the British Ports Association, we promote good practice in governance, management and operations.
	 (b) We are encouraged to see that some ports and shipping operators are giving consideration to new coastal feeder services that could transfer more freight from our roads. These, together with other investments that secure modal shift, could be eligible for grant support from the Department's freight grants programme, the purpose of which is to secure the environmental benefits of moving goods by water or rail instead of by road. As well as the grants scheme we also look to the Sea and Water organisation, which is partly funded by the Government, to take a lead in promoting coastal shipping services.

Freight

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much freight was transported on inland waterways in Great Britain in 2006.

Stephen Ladyman: The most recent information on inland waters traffic was published in Waterborne Freight in the United Kingdom 2005. Tables 2.9 and 2.10 provide information on the major inland waterway routes. A copy of the report is available from the House of Commons Library and also at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_control/documents/contentservertemplate/dft_index.hcst?n=14979l=3

Freight

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to promote the transportation of freight on inland waterways.

Stephen Ladyman: Since 1997, the Government have awarded grants of 54 million for water freight schemes, including inland waterway projects. These will have saved over one billion road miles worth of lorry journeys on our roads. Last year we introduced a new Waterborne Freight Grant scheme to assist both inland waterway and coastal shipping companies with their operating costs.
	Since 2002, we have implemented the recommendations of the Freight Study Group to increase freight traffic on the inland waterways of England and Wales, including those in urban areas. Measures included:
	Establishing Sea and Water, an industry body, partly funded by Government, with a remit to promote the movement of freight by inland and short sea shipping;
	funding a water freight business directory (run by Sea and Water) to provide potential customers with all the information they need to make an informed choice about the services available for moving freight by water; and
	publishing 'Planning for Freight on Inland Waterways', practical guidance for planning authorities.

FV Gaul

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the costs referred to in the answer of 25 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1866W, on the FV Gaul were determined.

Stephen Ladyman: The costs incurred for the investigations into the loss of the Gaul break down as follows:
	
		
			  Description  Total 
			 Travel, subsistence and accommodation 146,000 
			 Remotely operated vehicle development and procurement 256,000 
			 2002 Survey 2,542,000 
			 1998 MAIB Survey 692,000 
			 Technical consultancy 900,000 
			 Legal Fees 1 ,964,000 
			 Total 6,500,000 
		
	
	No adjustment has been made for 2006 prices.

FV Gaul

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will re-open the formal investigation into the FV Gaul on the basis of evidence of design flaws in the duff and offal chutes.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 November 2006,  Official Report, column 533W. There is no reason to doubt the outcome of the expert analysis that led to the conclusions of the reopened informal investigation and, consequently, there is no reason to reopen the investigation.

FV Gaul

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence of design inadequacies in the construction and arrangements of the duff and offal chutes on the Gaul was made available to the wreck commissioner prior to the publication of his final report on the investigation into the loss on the FV Gaul on 17 December 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: There is nothing to add to my previous answer about the nature of the evidence submitted to the wreck commissioner.

M6 Toll Road

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the creation of the M6 toll road on the number of vehicles using alternative motorways and roads in the area.

Stephen Ladyman: Following the opening of the M6 toll a number of reports have been produced. These include the M6 Traffic Monitoring Study: Traffic Impact Study Report which covered the first three months after opening and the M6 Toll After Study: Traffic and Safety Summary which covered the first year of opening. Both reports are available on the Highways Agency website at:
	http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/documents/220_m6_toll _traffic_study.pdf
	http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/documents/one_year_ after_study.pdf
	Copies have also been placed in the Libraries of the House. The Highways Agency continues to monitor traffic flows on the motorway and trunk roads in the area.

M6 Toll Road

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) cars,  (b) lorries and  (c) motorbikes used the M6 toll road in each year since its creation.

Stephen Ladyman: The operators of the M6 toll, Midland Expressway Limited, have provided the following figures showing the annual number of vehicles using the toll road since it opened in December 2003. In addition to the categories requested, the company separately records details of vans and light commercial vehicles and these have also been included.
	
		
			   Cars  Lorries  Motorcycles  Vans/light commercial  Total 
			 2004 15,775,261 261,787 41,356 664,441 16,742,845 
			 2005 15,244,547 378,385 35,040 686,377 16,344,349 
			 2006(1) 11,961,606 362,365 31,142 567,641 12,922,754 
			 Sub total 42,981,414 1,002,537 107,538 1,918,459 46,009,948 
			 (1) To end of September.

MOT Tests

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of garages offering MOT tests.

Stephen Ladyman: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency records show that on 21 December 2006 there were 18,619 garages offering MOT tests.

MOT Tests

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many spot checks inspectors employed by his Department have undertaken at garages that perform MOTs in the last three years for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of spot checks carried out by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) are published in the VOSA Effectiveness report which is available at:
	www.vosa.gov.uk
	or the House of Commons Library, Business and Transport Section.

MOT Tests

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many inspectors his Department has assigned to perform spot checks on garages that perform MOTs.

Stephen Ladyman: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) currently has 348 vehicle examiner posts. This role includes enforcement activity such as spot checks on MOT garages.

Pay Bargaining Unit

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the staff in each pay bargaining unit in his Department are  (a) male and  (b) female at (i) AO and (ii) EO grades.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The percentage of the staff currently working in each pay bargaining unit within the Department for Transport at AO and EO grades is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  AO Grades 
			  Percentage 
			   Male  Female 
			 DfT(c) 34.36 65.64 
			 DSA 45.10 54.90 
			 DVLA 32.98 67.02 
			 GCDA 34.62 65.38 
			 HA 41.41 58.59 
			 MCA 50.41 49.59 
			 VCA 58.62 41.38 
			 VOSA 55.54 44.46 
			 All DfT 39.43 60.57 
		
	
	
		
			  EO Grades 
			  Percentage 
			   Males  Females 
			 DfT(c) 54.52 45.48 
			 DSA 37.40 62.60 
			 DVLA 34.54 65.46 
			 GCDA 78.95 21.05 
			 HA 41.55 58.45 
			 MCA 74.73 25.27 
			 VGA 64.29 35.71 
			 VOSA 84.64 15.36 
			 All DfT 56.81 43.19

Pay Bargaining Unit

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at which grades there is a pay gap of more than 5 per cent. in each pay bargaining unit in his Department between  (a) white and ethnic minority staff,  (b) staff with disabilities and staff without disabilities and  (c) full-time and part-time workers based on full-time equivalent pay.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The following table sets out details of the pay gaps exceeding 5 per cent. in the categories set out in the question for the Department and its bargaining units.
	
		
			   Pay gap exceeding 5 per cent. between: 
			   (a) white and ethnic minority staff  (b) staff with disabilities and staff without disabilities  (c) full-time and part-time workers based on full-time equivalent pay 
			 DfT (Centre ) None None None 
			 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency None None None 
			   
			 Highways Agency HA are not able to provide this information within the required time scale(1) 
			 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency None None None 
			 
			 Driving Standards Agency None None None 
			 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency August 2006 Equal Pay Audit identified the following pay gaps exceeding 5 per cent.: August 2006 Equal Pay Audit identified the following pay gaps exceeding 5 per cent.: None 
			  Pay band D (HEO) Pay Band B (AO)  
			  Pay Band E3 (MS1) Pay Band C (EO)  
			  Pay Band G (G6) Pay Band F (G7)  
			 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency None None None 
			 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency None None None 
			 (1) HA have provided the following explanation: The data used in the equal pay audit were from the 2004 pay award which is now out of date. Although the gender pay gap details have been updated with each subsequent pay award, the data used in 2004 and in the 2006 RIA only showed ethnicity details for some 60 per cent. of staff. Our diversity team have undertaken work to improve the data which we hope will enable the 2007 RIA to be more statistically significant. This also applies to question B regarding disabled over non-disabled and question C, part-time over full-time.

Pay Bargaining Unit

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what proportion of  (a) male employees,  (b) female employees,  (c) white employees,  (d) ethnic minority employees,  (e) staff with disabilities,  (f) staff without disabilities,  (g) full-time staff and  (h) part-time staff in each pay bargaining unit in his Department were awarded the highest appraisal marking in the 2005-06 reporting round.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Pay Bargaining Unit

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for how many staff in each pay bargaining unit in his Department  (a) no ethnicity is recorded,  (b) there is no record of whether or not they have a disability and  (c) no gender is recorded in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and what proportion of all staff this represents in each category.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The number of staff not declaring ethnicity, whether disabled or not, and gender for the whole Department is only available for two years. This is due to changes in the categories used by each Agency.
	 In 2005, there were:
	1,716 (8.93 per cent.) staff not declaring an ethnicity category;
	1,707 (8.88 per cent.) staff not declaring whether they were disabled or not; and
	the number of unknown genders were 0.
	 In 2006, there were:
	1,832 (9.40 per cent.) staff not declaring an ethnicity category;
	1,861 (9.55 per cent.) staff not declaring whether they were disabled or not; and
	the number of unknown genders were 0.

Roads

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was received in road tax revenues in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The vehicle excise duty revenues (net of refunds) received each year since 1997 are shown as follows:
	
		
			  Net VED receipts 
			   000 
			 2005-06 4,952,918 
			 2004-05 4,737,138 
			 2003-04 4,688,689 
			 2002-03 4,386,826 
			 2001-02 4,389,343 
			 2000-01 4,934,595 
			 1999-2000 4,738,048 
			 1998-99 4,855,249 
			 1997-98 4,487,175

Roadworks

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the 10 longest running sets of Highways Agency roadworks are in England.

Stephen Ladyman: Major roadworks are usually carried out in phases and the most appropriate traffic management arrangements are chosen in each case. Often these arrangements do not involve reductions in the number of lanes available for traffic. Based on the current roadworks programme and the projected completion dates, the 10 longest running sets of Highways Agency roadworks are likely to be as follows:
	
		
			  Start date  End date  Location  Duration 
			 March 2006 December 2008 M1 Junction 6a to 10 widening 2 years 9 months 
			 July 2006 December 2008 M6 Carlisle to Guardsmill extension 2 years 5 months 
			 January 2005 March 2007 A63 Melton Grade separated junction 2 years 2 months 
			 September 2006 October 2008 A1 PeterboroughBlyth GSJ 2 years 1 month 
			 October 2006 October 2008 A5117/A550 Deeside Park junctions improvement 2 years 
			 October 2006 September 2008 A2 BeanCobham Phase 2 TollgateCobham 1 year 11 months 
			 August 2005 July 2007 A428 Caxton Common to Hardwick improvement 1 year 11 months 
			 September 2006 May 2008 A2/A282 Dartford improvement 1 year 8 months 
			 May 2005 December 2006 A50 Sideway interchange to Heron Cross 1 year 7 months 
			 October 2006 April 2008 A27 Southerham to Beddingham improvement 1 year 6 months 
		
	
	The times given are subject to contract conditions, weather conditions and any unforeseen circumstances. Roadworks with extensive duration periods but have just minor or no delay to the road users are not included in the list, e.g. works on the hard shoulders, verges etc.

Roadworks

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much  (a) the Highways Agency and  (b) each local authority has (i) been allocated and (ii) spent on road maintenance in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Ladyman: Over the last 10 years, the Highways Agency has been allocated, and spent, the following amounts on road maintenance.
	
		
			   million 
			   Allocation  Expenditure 
			 2005-06 865 852 
			 2004-05 730 732 
			 2003-04 748 726 
			 2002-03 740 760 
			 2001-02 687 711 
			 2000-01 661 736 
			 1999-2000 765 726 
			 1998-99 651 638 
			 1997-98 523 499 
			 1996-97 517 428 
		
	
	The Department for Transport provides local authorities in England (outside London) with capital highway maintenance funding as part of the Local Transport Plan (LTP) settlement for investment in their network. This funding is not ring fenced. It is for each local authority to determine how their allocations are spent, in line with their priorities.
	Records on local authorities' LTP highway maintenance capital allocations and spend were introduced following the introduction in 2001-02 of LTPs. The Department also provides funding to local highway authorities to support them with their highway maintenance of de-trunked roads.
	Details of the funding allocated for capital highway maintenance, by the Department, to all English local authorities outside London through the LTP settlement since its introduction and for de-trunked roads have been placed in the Library of the House.
	We have also allocated 121 million PFI credits to support the contractual obligations under a whole highway maintenance contract signed by Portsmouth city council in July 2004 and 444 million PFI credits to support 16 local authority PFI street lighting schemes.
	Funding for local authority maintenance on local roads in London is a matter for the Mayor.
	Local authorities' budgets for highways maintenance revenue expenditure are set by each local authority, to reflect their local priorities in line with their proposed spending of their formula grant and the council's own income. Information on local authorities' revenue budgets and outturn revenue expenditure is collected by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Section 29 Cases

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many unnamed section 29 cases were created in DVLA Scotland in  (a) 2004 and  (b) 2005; how many have been created in 2006 to date; how many of these cases were summonsed in each year; and how many of those cases summonsed were successfully prosecuted.

Stephen Ladyman: The information is as follows:
	
		
			   Number of cases 
			  (a) January to December 2004  
			 Unnamed S29 cases created 50,517 
			 Number of cases summonsed 10,767 
			 Number of cases successfully prosecuted 7,960 
			   
			  (b) January to December 2005  
			 Unnamed S29 cases created 41,812 
			 Number of cases summonsed 5,315 
			 Number of cases successfully prosecuted 3,277 
			   
			  (c) January to November 2006  
			 Unnamed S29 cases created 12,449 
			 Number of cases summonsed 1,114 
			 Number of cases successfully prosecuted 731 
		
	
	The ability of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to carry out successful enforcement activity against motorists who use their vehicles and do not pay road tax, is constantly under review and strategies are revised to meet changing needs.
	The number of S29 cases has decreased since the introduction in March 2004 of Continuous Registration enforcement from the record. The requirement to electronically submit S29 cases to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for prosecution, and the problems encountered in establishing this link led to a decrease in the number of prosecutions and an increase in the pursuit of these offenders by wheel clamping activity. A suitable method of transmitting cases electronically has now been found.

Speed Limit

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the merits of  (a) raising and  (b) abolishing the national speed limit on motorways.

Stephen Ladyman: The last assessment into the possible effects of raising the motorway speed limit generally was conducted in 2001. This concluded that raising the motorway speed limit would increase the risk of accidents and casualties and would also increase carbon emissions. For these reasons it was decided that the motorway speed limit should remain at 70 mph.
	There are no current plans to conduct a further assessment into either increasing or abolishing the motorway speed limit.

Vehicle Safety

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of road traffic accidents which were caused by mechanical faults in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of personal injury road accidents in which a 'vehicle defect' was a contributory factor reported by the attending police officer, are given in the following table:
	Data prior to 2005 are not available. Information on damage only accidents is not collected.
	
		
			  Number of accidents where a vehicle defect was reported as a contributory factor: GB 2005 
			  Contributory factor ( 1) Number of accidents 
			 Tyres illegal, defective or under inflated 1,128 
			 Defective lights or indicators 282 
			 Defective brakes 934 
			 Defective steering or suspension 338 
			 Defective or missing mirrors 19 
			 Overloaded or poorly loaded vehicle or trailer 369 
			 Any vehicle defects(2) 2,937 
			 (1 )Only includes accidents where a police officer attended the scene (2) Does not add up to the sum of the factors above as an accident may have more than one factor

Vehicle Safety

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on numbers of accidents involving motorcycles of mandatory daytime running lights for all vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department has not made a specific assessment of the effect of daytime running lights on motorcycle accident numbers.
	However, we recently asked TRL Ltd. to review the daytime running light study carried out by the European Commission. Their review highlighted several issues including a potential reduction in the conspicuity of motorcycles.
	We have raised these concerns with the European Commission and will continue to oppose mandatory daytime headlamp use.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Education

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to improve adult education provision within prisons.

Phil Hope: Government proposals for improving education of offenders are set out in the Reducing Re-Offending Through Skills and Employment: Next Steps document published on 13 December 2006. Copies of the document were sent to all Members of Parliament on the day of publication.

Anaphylactic Shock

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the take-up among local education authorities has been to date of the guidance published in March 2005 by his Department and the Department of Health on the administration of epinephrine to school pupils suffering anaphylactic shock during the school day; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department for Education and Skills has printed 50,000 copies of the joint DfES/DH Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings guidance. The guidance contains a chapter with some basic information on common conditions including anaphylaxis. Records show that 43,715 copies have been distributed to a mixture of local authorities, schools, early years settings, schools nurses and PCTs, voluntary organisations, parents and other interested parties. Local authorities have placed 751 orders for a total of 25,410 copies of the guidance.
	A copy of the guidance can also be downloaded from Teachernet at:
	www.teachernet.gov.uk/publications

Annual Pay Award

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on what date the annual pay award for departmental staff has been implemented in each of the last five years.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 28 November 2006
	The effective date for the annual pay award to department staff in each of the last five years is set out as follows:
	2006November 2006
	2005April 2005
	2004April 2004
	2003October 2003
	2002September 2002

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding has been allocated in 2006-07 to support students who suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Parmjit Dhanda: Funding for schools is a shared responsibility between central and local government. The majority of funding is provided by central government, with local authorities (LAs) providing the rest. In 2006-07, for the first time, schools received their funding from a Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) rather than as part of the local government settlement. The DSG is a ring-fenced grant and must be used for schools' budgets. It is for each LA to distribute funding using a locally agreed formula, and for schools' governing bodies to decide how to spend the available resources.
	Support for children with special educational needs (SEN) accounts for a high proportion of all education expenditure. We do not hold information centrally about expenditure on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but information collected from LAs shows planned expenditure on the education of children with SEN of 4.5 billion in 2006-07. This is about 13 per cent. of all education spending.
	In addition, schools and LEAs can use their School Development Grant to support SEN. SDG is allocated to schools and LAs to spend on teaching and learning according to their own needs and priorities. Total SDG for 2006-07 is almost 2 billion and schools will see an increase over their 2005-06 SDG allocations of at least 3.4 per cent. per pupil in 2006-07 and 3.7 per cent. in 2007-08.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the merits of extending the Building Schools for the Future Programme to hospital schools; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 19 December 2006
	Building Schools for the Future aims to renew all secondary schools in England in 15 waves of investment which started in 2005-06. It includes special schools, and pupil referral and other educational units for pupils of secondary school age. It is prioritised on educational and social needs of geographical groups of schools proposed by local authorities. Projects including hospital schools or units are eligible where locally proposed. Such units are already eligible for devolved formula capital allocations.

Capital Investment Budget: Schools

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his Department's budget is for capital investment in  (a) secondary schools,  (b) primary schools,  (c) further education and  (d) higher education in each financial year from 2007-08 to 2010-11, excluding private finance initiative credits and private sector investment.

Alan Johnson: My Department's budget for capital investment for 2007-08, excluding private finance initiative credits and private sector investment is as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 Sure Start 531 
			 Children, Young People and Families 69 
			 Schools, including Sixth Forms 5,034 
			 Further Education 602 
			 Higher Education 738 
		
	
	As a substantial proportion of schools' capital investment is devolved to local authorities, so that they can target their local priorities and needs, the precise breakdown of spending between primary schools and secondary schools is unknown.
	Further information on my Department's capital expenditure can be found in its annual report, which is available in the Libraries.
	I have not yet made any detailed budgetary plans for 2008-11. The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the overall capital settlement for my Department for this period in his pre-Budget report on 6 December. Excluding private finance initiative credits, this amounts to 7.2 billion in 2008-09, 7.7 billion in 2009-10 and 8.8 billion in 2010-11. This amounts to increases of 250 / 750 / 1850 million over 2007-08 baselines. Of these increases:
	150 / 500 / 500 million has been earmarked for primary schools;
	a further 1.1 billion will be spent on all schools in 2010-11; and
	100 / 250 / 250 million has been earmarked for the further education system.

Child Protection

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures he is taking to ensure that schools are receiving information on child protection online.

Jim Knight: The Department uses a range of communication channels to promote information to its audiences. This includes our own websites, print, newsletters and e-mails. In addition a network of stakeholder and partner communication channels are used to get messages to our common audiences.
	With regard to child protection, information for schools can be found on our TeacherNet website:
	http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/childprotection
	The Department draws maintained schools' attention to updates via a fortnightly e-mail which goes to all schools. This is sent to the schools registered email address and 112,119 number of registered subscribers (figure correct at 13 December 2006). This e-mail has a reporting function that informs the Department of successful and unsuccessful deliveries. Where an e-mail has been unsuccessfully delivered, a letter is sent to the school providing them with a hard copy version of the regular e-mail and informing them that they must update their records on the Departments database, Edubase.
	In addition, the Department informs local authority directors of children's services and chief executives via its weekly LA e-mail on all child protection matters that have been communicated to schools. The communications directorate regularly telephones the local authorities to ensure that the e-mails have been received and to keep our contact database up-to-date.

Childhood Obesity

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will undertake research into the possible effect on levels of obesity of proposed changes to the availability of drinks provided in schools;
	(2)  if he will commission research into  (a) the (i) prevalence and (ii) cause of dehydration among school children and  (b) its effects on school children.

Parmjit Dhanda: We have no plans to undertake research into the possible effect on levels of obesity of the changes to the availability of drinks provided in schools. Nor do we have plans to commission research into  (a) the (i) prevalence and (ii) cause of dehydration among school children and  (b) its effects on school children.
	The new Education (Nutritional Standards for School Lunches) (England) Regulations 2006, introduced in September 2006, limit the range of drinks available in schools to plain water (still or sparkling); skimmed or semi-skimmed milk; fruit juices; yogurt drinks with less than 5 per cent. added sugar; or combinations of these drinks; and require drinking water to be provided free of charge to registered pupils on school premises. Subsequent regulations to be introduced in September 2007 will extend these requirements to ensure that drinks throughout the school are consistent with those served at lunch; and that drinking water is provided free of charge at all times of the school day.
	The Government's strategy on obesity addresses the issue through a wide range of programmes to encourage children, parents, and parents-to-be to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle, to increase their levels of exercise, and to eat healthily. Setting statutory nutritional standards in schools is one action in our approach to support healthy eating and drinking.

Children in Care

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many children under the age of one were taken into care in each year since 1980; and how many were subsequently returned to their birth parents;
	(2)  how many babies under one year old were placed in care in  (a) 1996 and  (b) 2006; and for what reasons.

Parmjit Dhanda: Information on the number of children aged under one who were taken into care on an interim or full care order or under a police or emergency protection order in each year since 1992 is shown in Table 1. This information is not available prior to 1992. Of these, 3,000 children who were taken into care aged under one subsequently returned home between 2001 and 2006 to live with parents, relatives or other person with parental responsibility (excluding residence orders and special guardianship orders). Information on whether a child returned to live with their parents, relatives or other person with parental responsibility has only been collected since 1 April 2000. There is no comparable information prior to 2000.
	In the case of all children subject to a care order, the reason they have become looked after is because the courts will have taken the view that the 'significant harm' threshold set out in the Children Act 1989 had been crossed. Information on the number of children looked after by local authorities who were placed in care aged under one in 1996 and in 2006 and for what reasons, is shown in Tables 2 and 3. The 'category of need' codes record the main reason why a child is being provided with services. This provides a further insight as to why a particular child is being looked after. Information on 'category of need' was first collected in April 2000 and provides further information as to why a child is being looked after. Data on 'category of need' is not strictly comparable with the 'reason for being looked after' information that was collected prior to 1 April 2000.
	
		
			  Table 1: Children who were taken into care on an interim or full care order and under a police or emergency protection order( 1) 
			  England  Number 
			  Year ending 31 March  Children taken into care under one on an interim or full care order and under a police or emergency protection order ( 2,3,4,5) 
			 1992(6) 310 
			 1993 730 
			 1994 1,000 
			 1995 1,200 
			 1996 1,200 
			 1997 1,300 
			 1998(7) 1,400 
			 1999 1,600 
			 2000(7) 1,900 
			 2001(7) 1,800 
			 2002(7) 1,900 
			 2003(7) 2,000 
			 2004 2,000 
			 2005 2,000 
			 2006 2,100 
			 (1). Source, DfES, SSDA903 return which between 1992 and 1997 and since 2004 covered all children looked after by local authorities. SSDA903 covered only a third of children looked after by local authorities between 1998 and 2003.  (2). Figures for children looked after in this table exclude agreed series of short term placements  (3.) To maintain the confidentiality of each individual child, data at national level are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000 to the nearest 10 otherwise.  (4). Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials.  (5). Only the first occasion on which a child started to be looked after in the year has been counted.  (6). The figure was for the period 14 October to 31 March 1992 this was due to the implementation of the Children Act 1989  (7). SSDA903 only covered a third of children looked after by local authorities 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Children aged under one who were placed in care during the year ending 31 March 1996 by reason for being looked after( 1,2,3) 
			  England  Number 
			  Reason for being looked after  1996( 4,5) 
			   
			 All Children who started to be looked after aged under one 3,300 
			 No parents 10 
			 Abandoned or lost 70 
			 Family or child homeless 20 
			 Parent(s) in prison 40 
			 Breakdown of adoptive family  
			 Preliminary to adoption 390 
			 Parent's health 400 
			 Parents/families need relief  
			 - child with disabilities 10 
			 - other 480 
			 Abuse or neglect 1,300 
			 Concern for child's welfare 310 
			 Own behaviour 30 
			 Accused or guilty of an offence 0 
			 At request of child 0 
			 Other 270 
			 (1). Source, DfES, SSDA903 return which in 1996 covered all children looked after by local authorities.  (2). Only the first occasion on which a child started to be looked after in the year has been counted.  (3). Figures for children looked after in this table exclude agreed series of short term placements.  (4). To maintain the confidentiality of each individual child, data at national level are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000 to the nearest 10 otherwise.  (5). Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Children aged under one who were placed in care during the year ending 31 March 2006 by category of need ( 1,2,3) 
			  England  Number 
			  Category of need  2006(4,5) 
			   
			 All children who started to be looked after aged under one 4,300 
			 Abuse or neglect 2,800 
			 Child's Disability 40 
			 Parental illness or disability 310 
			 Family in acute stress 320 
			 Family dysfunction 470 
			 Socially Unacceptable behaviour 10 
			 Low income 10 
			 Absent parenting 270 
			 (1). Source, DfES, SSDA903 return which in 2006 covered all children looked after by local authorities.  (2). Only the first occasion on which a child started to be looked after in the year has been counted.  (3). Figures for children looked after in this table exclude agreed series of short term placements.  (4). To maintain the confidentiality of each individual child, data at national level are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000 to the nearest 10 otherwise.  (5). Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials.

Connexions

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance his Department has provided on best practice for the governance and operational arrangements of successor bodies to local Connexions.

Parmjit Dhanda: Following the publication of Every Child Matters and Youth Matters, funding which currently goes to Connexions Partnerships will go directly to all 150 local authority areas in England by April 2008 and will be managed through children's trust arrangements.
	Guidance on children's trust governance arrangements can be found in the statutory guidance around section 10 of the Children Act 2004. Guidance on local authority decision making processes more generally has been produced by Communities and Local Government.
	The Specification for services funded through the Connexions grant 2006-08 provides local authorities with the statutory provisions which must be delivered by all organisations which receive the Connexions grant fundingtogether with the targets which are attached to the funding; and other specified (but non-statutory) requirements. It also provides guidance on the broad delivery processes that have been key to the Connexions contribution to the Every Child Matters and 14-19 strategies.

Education Funding: North Lincolnshire

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the change in the education budget in North Lincolnshire was in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The Department does not hold this information prior to 1999-2000. The following table sets out the total budgeted education revenue expenditure received by North Lincolnshire since 1999-2000:
	
		
			  Total budgeted education revenue expenditure( 1)  by North Lincolnshire local authority since 1999-2000( 2) . Cash terms figures( 3)  as reported  by North Lincolnshire LA as at 15 December 2006 
			   Budgeted education revenue expenditure ()  Cash increase from previous year ()  Percentage increase from previous year (%) 
			 1999-00 69,720,000   
			 2000-01 74,066,000 4,346,000 6.2 
			 2001-02 79,251,000 5,185,000 7.0 
			 2002-03 83,374,000 4,123,000 5.2 
			 2003-04 92,861,000 9,487,000 11.4 
			 2004-05 99,719,000 6,858,000 7.4 
			 2005-06 104,945,000 5,226,000 5.2 
			 2006-07 109,599,000 4,654,000 4.4 
			 (1) Budgeted education revenue expenditure is drawn from North Lincolnshire's Section 52 Budget Statements submitted to the DfES. This is calculated as the gross elements of any grants lines plus the net elements of the remainder of the education revenue budget.  (2) Comparable figures are not available prior to the inception of Section 52 for the financial year 1999-2000.  (3) Cash figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000 and may not sum due to rounding.

Education: Qualifications

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils gained 5 A*-C grades including  (a) vocational equivalents and  (b) applied GCSE double awards in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: Since 1997, GNVQs have been included in the reported results of GCSEs and equivalents. Applied GCSE Double Awards have been included since 2004 when a range of other equivalences were included for the first time. The table shows the percentage of 15-year-old pupils(1) achieving five or more GCSEs or equivalents at grades A*-C since 1997, split by the coverage of the equivalents.
	
		
			  Percentage of 15-year-old pupils achieving 5+ A*-C at GCSE including: 
			   All vocational equivalents( 2)  Applied GCSE double awards 
			 1997 45.1  
			 1998 46.3  
			 1999 47.9  
			 2000 49.2  
			 2001 50.0  
			 2002 51.6  
			 2003 52.9  
			 2004 53.7 51.3 
			 2005 56.2 52.6 
			 2006(3) 57.9 53.3 
			 (1 )Pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August.  (2 )1997-2003 figures include GNVQs only.  (3) Data for 2006 are provisional. Data for all other years are final.

Educational Attainment

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of children achieved  (a) level 7 in Key Stage 3 SATS and  (b) two or more A grades at A-level in each local authority (LEA) in each of the last three years, broken down by ethnic origin and classification of the LEA as (i) selective, (ii) partially selective and (iii) comprehensive; and what the average percentage of children in each category was in England in each year, broken down by ethnic origin.

Jim Knight: The available data for the most recent three years have been placed in the House of Commons Library. The information for Key Stage 3 SATS for 2006 will be available in spring 2007.

Educational Maintenance Allowance: Lincolnshire

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils in further education in Lincolnshire received the educational maintenance allowance in each year since 2004.

Phil Hope: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council, who operate Education Maintenance Allowances for the DfES and hold the information about take-up of the scheme. Mark Haysom, the Council's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 22 December 2006:
	I am writing in response to your recent Parliamentary Question that asked what percentage of pupils in further education in Lincolnshire received the educational maintenance allowance in each year since 2004.
	Information on the number of young people who have applied, enrolled and received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available at Local Authority level. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payment in the academic year.
	The National EMA scheme was phased in over time to successive 16-year old age groups. 2004/05 was the first year of National EMA and therefore we can only give data for 16 year olds in that year. Of those that were in full time education in the Lincolnshire Local Authority area, some 49.6% received one or more EMA payment.
	This percentage is based on the participation estimates of 16 year olds in full time education that are outlined within the Statistical First Release 13/2006. In 2004/05 the amount of 16 year olds in education was 6300. However it should be noted that not all those in full time education would have been eligible for EMA on income grounds. At present we are unable to give similar percentages for 2005/06 as the sub-national participation estimates for 2005 are not currently available. They are due to be published in June 2007.

Free School Meals

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which  (a) secondary and  (b) primary schools had the (i) highest and (ii) lowest percentage of pupils receiving free school meals in each local education authority area; what the percentage figure was in each case; and what the type of school was in each case.

Jim Knight: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Free School Meals

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in  (a) Leeds, West and  (b) Leeds (i) are entitled to and (ii) claim free school meals.

Jim Knight: The requested information is given in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools: School meal arrangements ( 1)  As at January 2006 Leeds West parliamentary constituency and Leeds local authority area 
			   Leeds West parliamentary constituency  Leeds local authority area 
			   Nursery and Primary schools  Secondary schools  Nursery and Primary schools  Secondary schools 
			 Number of pupils on roll (2) 6,949 4,040 61,571 47,847 
			 Number of pupils taking free school meals on the day of the Census 1,448 724 9,028 5,338 
			 Percentage of pupils taking free school meals on the day of the Census (3) 20.8 17.9 14.7 11.2 
			 Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 1,730 1,005 11,257 8,292 
			 Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (4) 24.9 24.9 18.3 17.3 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes pupils with sole and dual main registration. Includes boarding pupils. (3) The number of pupils who took a free school meal on the day of the Census expressed as a percentage of the number of pupils on roll. (4) The number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals expressed as a percentage of the number of pupils on roll.  Source:  School Census

GCSEs

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils in each local authority in England left school without any GCSE qualification, excluding equivalents, in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: A table showing the number of 15-year-old pupils who did not achieve at least one A*-G grade at GCSE, excluding equivalents(1), has been placed in the Library.
	(1) These other qualifications are not the same as GCSEs. Not all approved qualifications are exactly the same, but they can be measured and accredited on a common scale, which gives point scores according to their different challenges and different breadth. The value of a qualification will depend entirely on the young person's needs and aspirations and the context for their learning.

GCSEs

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the GCSEs which use multiple choice questions as part of the examination.

Jim Knight: For all the GCSEs available to pupils, we do not keep records of which of these use multiple choice questions as part of the examination. This information is only available from the various awarding bodies.

Learning and Skills Council

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Learning and Skills Council in Coventry; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: I am the Minister with responsibility for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). I last visited the LSC national office in Coventry in July 2006, where I met staff and directors of the LSC, and officials from the Public and Commercial Services Union. Discussion focused on a range of issues, including the current restructuring exercise and future priorities for the LSC. I also have regular meetings with Mark Haysom, the chief executive, and Chris Banks, the chairman, of the Learning and Skills Council. My last formal meeting with them took place on 6 December 2006.

Looked-after Children

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many children were  (a) in foster care and  (b) placed for adoption in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many adoption placements broke down in each of the last 10 years;
	(3)  how many children were  (a) placed for foster care and  (b) placed for adoption with extended family members in each of the last five years;
	(4)  how many looked-after children there are in West Sussex;
	(5)  what percentage of looked-after children in  (a) West Sussex,  (b) Brighton and Hove unitary and  (c) East Sussex went on to university in the last year for which figures are available.

Parmjit Dhanda: Information on the number of children looked after by local authorities who have been in foster care and who have been placed for adoption in each of the last 10 years is shown in table 1.
	Information on the number of adoption placements that have broken down in each of the last 10 years is shown in table 2.
	Information on the number of children looked after by local authorities who have been placed for foster care with extended family members in each of the last five years is shown in table 3. Information on the number of children placed for adoption with extended family members is not collected centrally. 750 children were looked after by West Sussex local authority in 2006. Information on the percentage of children looked after by West Sussex, Brighton and Hove unitary and by East Sussex who went on to university last year is not collected centrally. However the Department collects information on the number of young persons in-touch with the local authority aged 19 who are in higher education who were previously looked after by each of these three local authorities aged 16 or over on 1 April 2002. This information is shown in table 4.
	
		
			  Table 1: Children looked after by local authorities placed in foster care and placed for adoption at 31 March 1997 to 2006( 1, 2, 3, 4) , England 
			  Number 
			  As at 31 March:  All children looked after by local authorities  Children looked after placed in foster care  Children looked after placed for adoption  Children looked after in other type of placements( 5) 
			 1997 51,400 33,700 2,400 15,300 
			 1998(6) 53,300 35,000 2,400 15,900 
			 1999(6) 55,500 36,200 2,900 16,400 
			 2000(6) 58,100 37,900 3,100 17,100 
			 2001(6) 58,900 38,400 3,400 17,100 
			 2002(6) 59,700 39,200 3,600 16,900 
			 2003(6) 60,800 41,100 3,400 16,300 
			 2004 61,200 41,200 3,600 16,400 
			 2005 60,900 41,300 3,400 16,200 
			 2006 60,300 42,000 2,900 15,500 
			 (1) Source, DfES, SSDA903 return which in 1997 and since 2004 covered 'all' children looked after by local authorities. SSDA903 covered only a third of children looked after by local authorities between 1998 and 2003. (2) Figures for children looked after in this table exclude agreed series of short-term placements. (3) To maintain the confidentiality of each individual child, data at national level are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000 or to the nearest 10 otherwise. (4) Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. (5) Figures include children looked after by local authority who are placed with own parents, who are placed in independent living, in residential employment, in secure units, in homes and hostels, in residential accommodation not subject to children's homes regulations, in other residential settings, in schools and finally children who are missing from placements and who are in other placements not listed. (6) SSDA903 only covered a third of children looked after by local authorities. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Adoption placements that broke down in each of the years ending 31 March 1997 to 2006( 1, 2, 3, 4) , England 
			  Number 
			  Year ending 31 March:  Adoption placements that broke down( 5) 
			 1997 360 
			 1998 280 
			 1999 320 
			 2000 250 
			 2001 280 
			 2002 270 
			 2003 240 
			 2004 290 
			 2005 250 
			 2006 210 
			 (1) Source, DfES, SSDA903 return which in 1997 and since 2004 covered all children looked after by local authorities. SSDA903 covered only a third of children looked after by local authorities between 1998 and 2003. (2) Figures for children looked after in this table exclude agreed series of short-term placements. (3) To maintain the confidentiality of each individual child, data at national level are rounded or to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000 or to the nearest 10 otherwise. (4) Note that figures represent the number of adoptions 'placements' that have broken down. They are not comparable with figures in table 1 and table 3 showing the number of children placed for adoption. (5) Adoption placements that have broken down exclude placements for adoption that were followed by an adoption or still open at 31 March 2006 or because the child's care was taken over by another local authority in the United Kingdom or because the child was transferred to the residential care funded by adult social services. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Children looked after by local authorities placed in foster care and placed for adoption at 31 March 1997 to 2006( 1, 2, 3, 4) , England 
			  Number 
			  As at 31 March:  All children looked after by local authorities  Children looked after placed in foster care  Children looked after placed in foster care with relative or friend  Children looked after placed in foster care not with relative or friend  Children looked after placed for adoption  Children looked after in other type of placements( 5) 
			 2002(6) 59,700 39,200 7,100 32,100 3,600 16,900 
			 2003(6) 60,800 41,100 7,700 33,300 3,400 16,300 
			 2004 61,200 41,200 7,700 33,500 3,600 16,400 
			 2005 60,900 41,300 7,600 33,700 3,400 16,200 
			 2006 60,300 42,000 7,400 34,600 2,900 15,500 
			 (1) Source, DfES, SSDA903 return which since 2004 covered all children looked after by local authorities. SSDA903 covered only a third of children looked after by local authorities in 2002 and 2003. (2) Figures for children looked after in this table exclude agreed series of short-term placements (3) To maintain the confidentiality of each individual child, data at national level are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1,000 or to the nearest 10 otherwise. (4) Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. (5) Figures include children looked after by local authority who are placed with own parents, who are placed in independent living, in residential employment, in secure units, in homes and hostels, in residential accommodation not subject to children's homes regulations, in other residential settings, in schools and finally children who are missing from placements and who are in other placements not listed. (6) SSDA903 only covered a third of children looked after by local authorities. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Number of young persons aged 19 in-touch with local authority, percentage engaged in higher education who were looked after on 1 April 2002 aged 16 or over, in the years ending 31 March 2005 and 2006( 1, 2, 3, 4) 
			   2005  2006 
			   Number in-touch  Percentage in higher education  Number in-touch  Percentage in higher education 
			 England 4,600 7 4,900 7 
			 West Sussex 80 11 60 17 
			 Brighton and Hove 30  30  
			 East Sussex 30  30  
			 (1) Source, DfES, SSDA903 return which in 2005 and 2006 covered 'all' children looked after by local authorities. (2) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements. (3) Percentages are suppressed to preserve confidentiality if the numerator is between 1 and 5 inclusive or the denominator is between 1 and 10 inclusive and replaced by a long dash. (4) Young person engaged in higher education (i.e. studies beyond A level).

Nursery Providers

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many mainstream nursery providers there were in the Sunderland city council area in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2005.

Beverley Hughes: Information is not collected in the form requested.
	The available information on child care providers is shown in tables 1 and 2.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number( 1)  of registered child care providers for children under eight years of age by typeSunderland local authority areaposition at 31 March 2005 
			  Type of care  2005 
			 Full day care 50 
			 Sessional day care (2) 
			 Child minders 300 
			 Out of school day care 30 
			 Crche day care 20 
			 (1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100. (2) Indicates 1 or more, but less than 5.  Source: Ofsted 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number( 1)  of day care providers for children under eight years of age by type of providerSunderland local authority areaposition at 31 March 1997 
			  Type of provider  1997 
			 Day nurseries 20 
			 Playgroups and pre-schools 20 
			 Child minders 370 
			 Out of school clubs 10 
			 Holiday schemes 10 
			 (1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100.  Source: Children's Day Care Facilities Survey. 
		
	
	Local authorities were responsible for the registration and inspection of children's day care facilities until these responsibilities were transferred to Ofsted in September 2001. The figures for 2005 were derived from the Ofsted database of registered child care providers. The figures for 1997 were derived from the Children's Day Care Facilities Survey, which was discontinued in 2001. Therefore the figures for child care providers for 2005 are not directly comparable with the day care figures for 1997.
	With the introduction of the National Day Care Standards and the transfer of responsibilities for registration and inspection of child care providers from local authority social service departments to Ofsted in September 2001, child care places were classified according to the type of day care provided: full day care, sessional day care, child minder, out of school day care or crche day care. Ofsted have produced figures based on this classification on a quarterly basis from March 2003. Their latest figures were published in their report Registered Childcare Providers and Places, September 2006, which is available on their website:
	www.ofsted.gov.uk/.
	Up until March 2001, child care providers were classified according to the type of provider: day nurseries, playgroups and pre-schools, child minders, out of school clubs and holiday schemes. Figures based on this classification were published in a series of Statistical Bulletins, which are available from the Department's website:
	www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics.

Prison Education

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment was made of the  (a) literacy,  (b) numeracy and  (c) writing abilities of prisoners in each of the last 10 years.

Phil Hope: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, Home Office statistics show that 37 per cent. of prisoners had reading skills below level 1, 43 per cent. had numeracy skills below level 1, 46 per cent. had spelling skills below level 1 and 62 per cent. of prisoners had punctuation skills below level 1.
	 Source:
	Prison Statistics for England and Wales 2002

Prison Education

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his most recent assessment is of the percentage of prisoners who have no educational or other qualifications.

Phil Hope: The Home Office publication Through the Prison Gate, 2001 recorded that 52 per cent. of male prisoners and 71 per cent. of female prisoners had no qualifications.

Pupils: Assessments

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils achieved  (a) level 4 at key stage 2 and  (b) level 5 at key stage 3 for each subject as the result of a borderline check in each year since 1996.

Jim Knight: The process by which borderline checks are completed does not produce definitive figures across all subjects to show how many pupils achieved levels as a result of these checks.

Random Drug Testing

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what research has been conducted by his Department into the  (a) social,  (b) ethical and  (c) moral implications of random drug testing in high schools;
	(2)  how much has been spent on random drug testing in high schools;
	(3)  what the results were of random drug testing in high schools, by classification of drugs found;
	(4)  what proportion of high schools practise random drug testing; and what method of testing is used.

Parmjit Dhanda: Schools do not have to inform the Department if they wish to introduce drug testing for pupils. However, we know of three maintained schools which have tested pupils for drugs. We do not collect information on how much is being spent by schools on drug testing, the methods being used or the results of these tests. The Department has not commissioned research into the effectiveness of drug testing but is working with Kent local authority to carry out an evaluation of drug testing in schools.

School Leavers

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils achieving two or more passes at A-level or equivalent left school for  (a) further education,  (b) higher education,  (c) unemployment,  (d) employment and  (e) other destinations in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: Estimates derived from the Youth Cohort Study (YCS) are shown in the following table. The figures are based on the activity of young people in the third year following the completion of compulsory education holding a level 3 qualification (e.g. two or more A levels or equivalent) having been in full-time education in both the previous two years.
	
		
			  Activity at 18 for those holding level 3 qualifications having been in full-time education at 16 and 17 
			  Percentage 
			   1998  2000  2002  2004  2006 
			 Full-time higher education 56 56 55 59 60 
			 Full-time further education 14 13 11 10 10 
			 Employment 25 25 29 26 24 
			 Unemployed 3 3 2 1 3 
			 Other 2 2 4 4 3 
			 Total 100 100 100 100 100 
			  Source:  Youth Cohort Study for England and Wales Cohorts 8 to 12

School Staffing Regulations

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the School Staffing Regulations (England) 2003 remain in force; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The School Staffing Regulations (England) 2003 are still in force, however there have been some amendments made following the introduction of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

School Thefts

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many thefts of school property from school premises there were in each month in each of the last three years; and what estimate he has made of the total value of property stolen over this period.

Jim Knight: holding answer 30 November 2006
	The information requested is not collected by the Department for Education and Skills.

Schools for the Future Programme

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many schools have been  (a) newly opened and  (b) refurbished under the Department's Building Schools for the Future programme in each year;
	(2)  on what date the first new school building opened under the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Jim Knight: Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a core part of the Department's capital strategy, providing a new approach to capital investment in secondary schools.
	BSF aims to create world-class, 21st-century schoolsenvironments which will inspire learning for decades to come and provide exceptional assets for the whole community. Subject to future public spending decisions, the intention is to achieve this aim for every secondary school pupil within 15 waves from 2005-06 onwards.
	The first contracts for the BSF programme were signed earlier this year. The first Quick Win BSF school opened in Solihull in June and the second in South Tyneside in September. The first non-Quick Win school is scheduled to open in Bristol in September 2007.
	In financial year 2007/08, we expect 14 schools will open of which three will be refurbished and a further 117 will start construction.
	In financial year 2008/09, 56 schools will open of which 21 will be refurbished and a further 182 will start construction.
	In financial year 2009/10, 129 will open and a further 182 will start construction.
	The figures for 2009/10 are indicative as this includes Wave 4 projects, which have just been selected this month, and certain Wave 2-3 projects where authorities have not yet finalised their plans.

Schools: Darlington

Alan Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) teachers,  (b) teaching assistants and  (c) support staff were employed in Darlington local education authority schools in each year since 1992.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the number of full-time equivalent teachers, teaching assistants and support staff employed in local authority maintained schools in Darlington local authority, January 1998 to 2006.
	Darlington local authority was created as a unitary authority with responsibilities for education on 1 April 1997. Prior to this date figures for Darlington were included in Durham local authority figures and are not available separately.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent number of teachers, teaching assistants and support staff employed in maintained schools in Darlington and former Durham local authorities  January 1992 to 2006 
			   Darlington  Former Durham 
			  January  Teachers( 1)  Teaching assistants( 2)  Support staff( 2,3)  Teachers( 1)  Teaching assistants( 2)  Support staff( 2,3) 
			 19925,120 590 1,130 
			 19935,140 580 1,180 
			 19945,120 570 1,150 
			 19955,020 610 1,170 
			 19965,010 620 1,180 
			 19974,910 640 1,230 
			 1998 820 120 210
			 1999 820 130 240
			 2000 800 140 250
			 2001 780 170 300
			 2002 840 200 360
			 2003 840 210 380
			 2004 850 190 370
			 2005 860 270 480
			 2006 830 300 530
			 (1) DfES annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies (618g). (2)Annual School Census. (3 )Support staff figures include teaching assistants numbers.  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Schools: South West Region

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) rural and  (b) urban (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in (1) Cornwall, (2) the south west and (3) England there were in each year since 1979.

Jim Knight: The readily available information is given in the following table. The figures are based on the 2004 ONS Urban and Rural classification and are only available on this basis back to 1999.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools( 1: ) Number of schools by urban/rural classification( 2 ) Position in January each year: 1999 to 2006 
			   Number of schools 
			   Cornwall LA 
			   Primary  Secondary 
			   Rural( 3)  Urban( 4)  Total  Rural( 3)  Urban( 4)  Total 
			 1999 171 73 244 12 19 31 
			 2000 172 73 245 12 19 31 
			 2001 172 73 245 12 19 31 
			 2002 172 73 245 12 19 31 
			 2003 172 71 243 12 19 31 
			 2004 170 72 242 12 19 31 
			 2005 169 72 241 12 19 31 
			 2006 169 70 239 12 19 31 
		
	
	
		
			   Number of schools 
			   South west 
			   Primary  Secondary 
			   Rural( 3)  Urban( 4)  Unknown( 5)  Total  Rural( 3)  Urban( 4)  Total( 5) 
			 1999 983 1,020 2 2,005 95 240 335 
			 2000 985 1,014 0 1,999 95 240 335 
			 2001 984 1,008 0 1,992 96 237 333 
			 2002 983 1,008 0 1,991 96 237 333 
			 2003 980 1,005 0 1,985 95 235 330 
			 2004 978 1,003 0 1,981 95 234 329 
			 2005 977 997 0 1,974 92 233 325 
			 2006 975 979 0 1,954 89 231 320 
		
	
	
		
			   Number of schools 
			   England 
			   Primary  Secondary 
			   Rural( 3)  Urban( 4)  Unknown( 5)  Total  Rural( 3)  Urban( 4)  Total( 5) 
			 1999 5,292 12,936 6 18,234 536 3,024 3,560 
			 2000 5,292 12,866 0 18,158 536 3,014 3,550 
			 2001 5,287 12,782 0 18,069 534 2,947 3,481 
			 2002 5,279 12,706 0 17,985 532 2,925 3,457 
			 2003 5,267 12,594 0 17,861 530 2,906 3,436 
			 2004 5,260 12,502 0 17,762 529 2,880 3,409 
			 2005 5,249 12,393 0 17,642 526 2,859 3,385 
			 2006 5,251 12,253 0 17,504 524 2,843 3,367 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2 )Urban/rural classification for schools is based on the school's current postcode. (3 )Includes schools in the following classifications: Hamlet and Isolated Dwelling (sparse and less sparse), Town and Fringe (sparse and less sparse), Village (sparse and less sparse). (4 )Includes schools in Urban ? 10k (sparse and less sparse) classifications. (5 )Data required to establish the location of six primary schools in 1999 were missing or invalid.  Source:  School Census and Edubase(1) (1 )Schools have been classified as being in either an urban or rural area by matching their school postcode to the Rural and Urban Area Classification 2004 indicator held within the May 2006 National Statistics Postcode Directory. Areas are classified as urban or rural at the Census Output Area (COA) level, and postcodes are classified according to the status of the COA in which they are located.

Teaching Staff

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) teachers,  (b) teaching assistants and  (c) support staff were employed in (i) North East Lincolnshire local education authority and (ii) North Lincolnshire local education authority in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the number of full-time equivalent teachers, teaching assistants and support staff employed in local authority maintained schools in North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire local authorities in each January from 1997 to 2006.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent number of teachers( 1) , teaching assistants and support staff in North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire local authorities, January 1997 to 2006 
			   North East Lincolnshire  North Lincolnshire 
			   Teachers( 2)  Teaching assistants( 3)  Support staff( 3,4)  Teachers( 2)  Teaching assistants( 3)  Support staff( 3,4) 
			 1997 1,370 220 450 1,290 180 400 
			 1998 1,300 240 490 1,240 200 420 
			 1999 1,310 260 540 1,290 240 480 
			 2000 1,380 310 610 1,290 270 520 
			 2001 1,360 460 750 1,340 330 630 
			 2002 1,450 520 900 1,300 430 710 
			 2003 1,480 570 970 1,280 450 770 
			 2004 1,450 650 1,060 1,340 510 830 
			 2005 1,420 630 1,110 1,350 550 880 
			 2006 1,410 690 1,170 1,390 600 970 
			 (1) Regular qualified and unqualified teachers (excluding occasionals).  (2) Source: Annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, 618g.  (3) Source: Annual School Census.  (4) Support staff numbers include teaching assistants.

Telephone Numbers

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the revenue was from use of the 0870 telephone number used by the Office of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Schools) in 2005-06; how many other ministerial private offices in his Department have 0870 telephone numbers printed on their headed notepapers; and what the revenue was from each in 2005-06.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department for Education and Skills does not participate in revenue share schemes associated with 0870 telephone numbers and therefore derives no revenue from the use of these numbers. The headed notepaper used by all ministerial private offices includes a reference to the Department's non revenue share 0870 main switchboard number.

Translation and Interpretation Services

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent on translation and interpretation services by each local education authority in England and Wales in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 18 December 2006
	The Department does not collect this information. We are not in a position to comment on the practice for Wales as it is the responsibility of the National Assembly for Wales to provide this information.

Truancy

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of half days were missed due to unauthorised absence in maintained secondary schools in  (a) rural and  (b) non-rural areas in 2005-06; how many students accounted for days missed in each category for CETTS; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The figures for the proportion of half days missed due to unauthorised absence in maintained mainstream secondary schools in  (a) rural and  (b) non-rural areas in 2005-06 are given in the following tables:
	
		
			  Percentage of half days missed in maintained mainstream secondary schools( 1)  due to unauthorised absence( 2)  in 2005/06 
			   Percentage 
			 Rural areas 0.75 
			 Non-rural areas 1.28 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed.  (2) Figures are provisional.   Note:  Schools have been allocated as being in either an urban or rural area by matching the school postcode to the Rural and Urban Area Classification 2004 indicator held within the May 2005 National Statistics Postcode Directory. 
		
	
	
		
			  Number( 1)  of pupils in maintained mainstream secondary schools( 2)  who missed at least one half day in 2005/06 
			   Number 
			 Rural areas 92,800 
			 Non-rural areas 687,800 
			 (1) Figures are given to the nearest hundred.  (2 )Includes middle schools as deemed.   Note:  Schools have been allocated as being in either an urban or rural area by matching the school postcode to the Rural and Urban Area Classification 2004 indicator held within the May 2005 National Statistics Postcode Directory. 
		
	
	Unauthorised absence is absence without leave from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes all unexplained or unjustified absences, such as lateness, holidays during term time not authorised by the school, absence where reason is not yet established and truancy.

Unauthorised Absences

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many unauthorised absences from school there were in each constituency in each year between 1997 and 2006.

Jim Knight: A table showing the percentage of half days missed due to unauthorised absences in each constituency in England in each year between 1997 and 2006 has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Unauthorised absence is absence without leave from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes all unexplained or unjustified absences, such as lateness, holidays during term time not authorised by the school, absence where reason is not yet established and truancy.

United Learning Trust Sponsored Academies

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many United Learning Trust sponsored academies are at the planning stage.

Jim Knight: The United Learning Trust (ULT) is the sponsor of nine open academies, and has a further three in development. We are in discussion with ULT about sponsoring further academies.

Youth Workers

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) directly-employed local authority youth workers and  (b) youth workers funded by public money there were in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: Youth workers are recruited locally by local authority youth services. Information is not held centrally on the number of youth workers directly employed at a local level or who are funded by public money.

PRIME MINISTER

Ministers: Exit Interviews

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister if he will conduct exit interviews with Ministers who are leaving the Government.

Tony Blair: No.

Parliamentary Questions

Theresa May: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many written parliamentary questions to him in the 2005-06 session were not answered wholly or in part on grounds of disproportionate cost;
	(2)  how many written parliamentary questions to him in the 2005-06 session were answered with a reply that it had not been possible to reply before Prorogation;
	(3)  how many written parliamentary questions to him in the 2005-06 session were answered with a referral back to previous answers.

Tony Blair: This information is not held in the format requested. However, it is a matter of public record and can be found in the  Official Report.

Parliamentary Questions

Theresa May: To ask the Prime Minister how many written parliamentary questions to him in the 2005-06 session did not receive an answer.

Tony Blair: None.

Saudi Arabia

Phil Willis: To ask the Prime Minister when the Government received an ultimatum from the Government of Saudi Arabia threatening to withdraw diplomatic and commercial co-operation if the Serious Fraud Office investigation into payments associated with the Al-Yamamah programme were continued.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Solicitor-General (Mr. O'Brien) on 14 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 1119-29.

Special Advisers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the notices of external employment given by his special advisers in each of the last two years.

Tony Blair: None.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Archaeological and Historic Sites

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many archaeological and historic sites in private ownership her Department has been notified of which have been  (a) seriously damaged and  (b) destroyed in the last 12 months.

David Lammy: The Department does not keep a record of those data. This information is recorded on a case by case basis at local government level as part of their Historic Environment Records. Two of the entries on the English Heritage Buildings at Risk Register have been demolished in the last 12 months. English Heritage is working on amending its database of Scheduled Monument Consents to capture unlicensed or unauthorised works to scheduled monuments.

Arts Participation

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made on increasing the number of people attending and participating in the arts from priority groups; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Final baseline data on the proportion of people attending and participating in the arts from priority groups were published on 14 December 2006. Progress on increasing these proportions will be monitored regularly with final assessment of achievement available in late 2008. My Department continues to work closely with Arts Council England and others on a broad range of policies and programmes to increase attendance and participation in the arts by the priority groups.

Arts Participation

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the baseline is for the target for increasing the number of people attending and participating in the arts from priority groups.

Richard Caborn: My Department published the final baseline data on 14 December 2006. The baseline figures for the proportion attending and participating in the arts during the previous 12 months have been set at the following for the priority group population:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			  Attendance  
			 Black and minority ethnic 24 
			 Limiting disability 24 
			 Lower socio-economic 17 
			   
			  Participation  
			 Black and minority ethnic 21 
			 Limiting disability 19 
			 Lower socio-economic 15 
		
	
	The Department's PSA3 target for the arts is, by 2008, to increase each of the priority group baseline estimates by 3 percentage points for attendance and by 2 percentage points for participation.

British Cycling (Drugs)

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much UK Sport has given to British Cycling to sponsor the under-23 academy to promote the anti-doping campaign 100% Me; and from which source that funding came.

Richard Caborn: The agreement by which British Cycling agreed to promote the 100% Me campaign did not involve any sponsorship payments by UK Sport.
	UK Sport has however contributed approximately 2,240 from its Drug Free Sport education budget towards the cost of re-designing the team's clothing to incorporate the 100% Me brand.

Departmental Expenditure

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much her Department has spent on core departmental staff's seasonal celebrations.

Richard Caborn: The Department has had a zero spend on core departmental staff's seasonal celebrations.

Departmental Finance

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the  (a) amount of public finance initiative credits allocated to her Department and  (b) related capital expenditure was in each year for which figures are available, broken down by project.

David Lammy: DCMS currently has 25 PFI projects, to which the Department has allocated credits totalling 354.5 million. These are broken down by project in the following table. Information about the capital expenditure for each project in each year is not held centrally. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   million 
			  Authority  Project title   (a) DCMS credit allocation  (b) Related capital expenditure 
			 Bournemouth Borough Council New Central Library and Community Library ICT system 2000 6 14.1 
			 Brighton and Hove City Council(1) Jubilee Library Brighton 2000 0 11.9 
			 Sefton Borough Council Crosby Leisure Centre 2001 6.2 0.3 
			 Uttlesford District Council Uttlesford Sports and Leisure Centre 2002 5.8 0 
			 London Borough of Brent Willesden Sports Centre 2004 14.9 1.8 
			 London Borough of Croydon Ashburton Learning Village 2004 4.6 19.4 
			 London Borough of Lewisham Downham Lifestyles Centre 2005 12.7 4.9 
			 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council Oldham Library and Lifelong Learning Centre 2004 13 0.5 
			 Penwith District Council Recreation West 2002 6.4 0.3 
			 Wolverhampton City Council North East Leisure Centre 2004 10.9 0.8 
			 Sheffield City Council Westfield School Swimming Pool 2004 6.1 46.4 
			 Borough of Telford and Wrekin Hadley Learning Centre and Jigsaw Project 2004 10.2 52.8 
			 South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council South Shields Info Store 2004 2.8 15.8 
			 Breckland Council Making Connections Leisure Project 2005 9.5 5.5 
			 Amber Valley Borough Council Amber Valley Quest for Leisure 2006 17.6 4.4 
			 Bristol City Council South Bristol Healthplex 2007 29.7 0 
			 Cambridgeshire County Council Historical Resource and Cultural Centre 2006 10.7 0 
			 Leeds City Council New Leaf Leisure Centres 2007 30 0 
			 Liverpool City Council Central Library and Archive Redevelopment 2006 49.3 0 
			 Newcastle City Council(2) New City Library and High Heaton Community Library/satellite Customer Service Centre 2006 and 2007 40.2 0 
			 Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale Joint Service Centres 2007 1.5 10.6 
			 Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council Sport and Leisure Facilities and Maltby Joint Service Centre Project 2006 16.4 21.6 
			 Shepway District Council Shepway Leisure PFI 2006 9.8 4.7 
			 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council Joint Service Centre 2007 6.8 40.2 
			 Worcestershire County Council Worcester Library and  History Centre 2007 33.4 3.1 
			 Total   354.5 259.1 
			 (1 )DCMS took on lead responsibility for this project from what was the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. (2 )Newcastle has been allocated 40.2 million in total. 27 million was allocated in 2006 and 13.2 million was allocated in 2007.

Digital Broadcasting

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the number of households that will qualify for assistance in switching over to digital television in  (a) Gateshead East and Washington West,  (b) the North East and  (c) England.

Shaun Woodward: The details are in the table.
	
		
			  Constituency  Households (defined as eligible benefit units) 
			 Berwick-upon-Tweed 9,000 
			 Bishop Auckland 14,000 
			 Blaydon 10,000 
			 Blyth Valley 11,000 
			 City of Durham 10,000 
			 Darlington 11,000 
			 Easington 14,000 
			 Gateshead East and Washington West 12,000 
			 Hartlepool 12,000 
			 Hexham 9,000 
			 Houghton and Washington East 12,000 
			 Jarrow 12,000 
			 Middlesbrough 13,000 
			 Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland 13,000 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Central 10,000 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend 11,000 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne North 12,000 
			 North Durham 12,000 
			 North Tyneside 13,000 
			 North-West Durham 14,000 
			 Redcar 14,000 
			 Sedgefield 12,000 
			 South Shields 12,000 
			 Stockton North 11,000 
			 Stockton South 10,000 
			 Sunderland North 13,000 
			 Sunderland South 13,000 
			 Tyne Bridge 11,000 
			 Tynemouth 11,000 
			 Wansbeck 13,000 
			   
			 North East Government Office Region 354,000 
			 England 5,800,000 
			 1. Totals for Constituencies rounded to the nearest thousand. Totals for England, rounded to the nearest hundred-thousand. 2. Eligibility for help from the Digital Switchover Help Scheme will be by benefit unit rather than the whole household definition used by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Northern Ireland Office to forecast future household growth. 3. The definition of a benefit unit is a couple and any dependent children. It excludes adults deemed to be non-dependents who, if eligible, will be able to claim assistance from the Help Scheme in their own right.

Digital Television

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of households which will qualify for assistance in switching over to digital television in  (a) Ludlow constituency,  (b) Shropshire and  (c) the West Midlands.

Shaun Woodward: The details are in the table.
	
		
			  Constituency  Households (defined as eligible benefit units) 
			 Aldridge-Brownhills 11,000 
			 Birmingham, Edgbaston 10,000 
			 Birmingham, Erdington 13,000 
			 Birmingham, Hall Green 10,000 
			 Birmingham, Hodge Hill 10,000 
			 Birmingham, Ladywood 10,000 
			 Birmingham, Northfield 10,000 
			 Birmingham, Perry Barr 11,000 
			 Birmingham, Selly Oak 11,000 
			 Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath 12,000 
			 Birmingham, Yardley 9,000 
			 Bromsgrove 10,000 
			 Burton 11,000 
			 Cannock Chase 12,000 
			 Coventry, North East 12,000 
			 Coventry, North West 13,000 
			 Coventry, South 12,000 
			 Dudley, North 12,000 
			 Dudley, South 10,000 
			 Halesowen and Rowley Regis 11,000 
			 Hereford 12,000 
			 Leominster 12,000 
			 Lichfield 9,000 
			 Ludlow 10,000 
			 Meriden 11,000 
			 Mid Worcestershire 11,000 
			 Newcastle-under-Lyme 11,000 
			 North Shropshire 12,000 
			 North Warwickshire 11,000 
			 Nuneaton 11,000 
			 Redditch 8,000 
			 Rugby and Kenilworth 11,000 
			 Shrewsbury and Atcham 11,000 
			 Solihull 13,000 
			 South Staffordshire 10,000 
			 Stafford 10,000 
			 Staffordshire Moorlands 11,000 
			 Stoke-on-Trent, Central 11,000 
			 Stoke-on-Trent, North 11,000 
			 Stoke-on-Trent, South 14,000 
			 Stone 10,000 
			 Stourbridge 10,000 
			 Stratford-on-Avon 12,000 
			 Sutton Coldfield 10,000 
			 Tamworth 10,000 
			 Telford 10,000 
			 The Wrekin 11,000 
			 Walsall North 12,000 
			 Walsall South 10,000 
			 Warley 10,000 
			 Warwick and Leamington 12,000 
			 West Bromwich, East 11,000 
			 West Bromwich, West 12,000 
			 West Worcestershire 12,000 
			 Wolverhampton, North East 10,000 
			 Wolverhampton, South East 10,000 
			 Wolverhampton, South West 11,000 
			 Worcester 10,000 
			 Wyre Forest 12,000 
			 West Midlands Government Office Area (including Shropshire) 645,000 
			 Shropshire 59,000 
			 Leominster 12,000 
			 Lichfield 9,000 
			 Ludlow 10,000 
			 Meriden 11,000 
			 Mid Worcestershire 11,000 
			 Newcastle-under-Lyme 11,000 
			 North Shropshire 12,000 
			 North Warwickshire 11,000 
			 Nuneaton 11,000 
			 Redditch 8,000 
			 Rugby and Kenilworth 11,000 
			 Shrewsbury and Atcham 11,000 
			 Solihull 13,000 
			 South Staffordshire 10,000 
			 Stafford 10,000 
			 Staffordshire Moorlands 11,000 
			 Stoke-on-Trent, Central 11,000 
			 Stoke-on-Trent, North 11,000 
			 Stoke-on-Trent, South 14,000 
			 Stone 10,000 
			 Stourbridge 10,000 
			 Stratford-on-Avon 12,000 
			 Sutton Coldfield 10,000 
			 Tamworth 10,000 
			 Telford 10,000 
			 The Wrekin 11,000 
			 Walsall, North 12,000 
			 Walsall, South 10,000 
			 Warley 10,000 
			 Warwick and Leamington 12,000 
			 West Bromwich, East 11,000 
			 West Bromwich, West 12,000 
			 West Worcestershire 12,000 
			 Wolverhampton, North East 10,000 
			 Wolverhampton, South East 10,000 
			 Wolverhampton, South West 11,000 
			 Worcester 10,000 
			 Wyre Forest 12,000 
			 West Midlands Government Office Area (including Shropshire) 645,000 
			 Shropshire 59,000 
			  Notes: 1. Totals rounded to the nearest thousand. 2. Eligibility for help from the Digital Switchover Help Scheme will be by benefit unit rather than the whole household definition used by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLC) the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Northern Ireland Office to forecast future household growth. 3. The definition of a benefit unit is a couple and any dependent children. It excludes adults deemed to be non-dependents who, if eligible, will be able to claim assistance from the Help Scheme in their own right.

Film Production

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what bilateral film co-production treaties were agreed by the end of 2006.

Shaun Woodward: The UK/South Africa film co-production treaty was signed by the Secretary of State and South African Arts Minister Pallo Jordan in May 2006. The treaty will come into force once the constitutional procedures have been completed.
	Negotiations on other new co-production agreements are progressing well. Statements of Intent to progress negotiations have been signed with India, China and Morocco. Furthermore, the main body of an agreement with India was signed in December 2005 and a further Annex, containing most of the detail, is now being negotiated.

Flags

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on which occasions the Cross of Saint George is flown from Government department buildings.

Richard Caborn: The St. George's Cross is flown on Government buildings with two or more flag poles on St. George's Day (23 April) alongside the Union Flag.

Gambling: Advertisements

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to regulate claims made in advertisements by betting tipsters guaranteeing betting success.

Richard Caborn: Section 327(1)(a) of the Gambling Act 2005 provides that a person advertises gambling if he does anything to encourage one or more persons to take advantage (whether directly or through an agent) of facilities for gambling. While tipsters are not directly involved in gambling, there may be circumstances under which advertisements by tipsters could fall within the Act's definition of advertising, and therefore within the scope of any regulations made by the Secretary of State controlling the advertising of gambling.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State intends to keep her regulation making powers with regard to advertising in reserve for the time being, in favour of self-regulation by the advertising industry. The Advertising Standards Authority, in consultation with the Gambling Commission, is in the process of drawing up new advertising codes of practice, on which it will consult shortly. Advertising by tipsters will be subject to these codes, including general rules on misleading advertising.

General Household Survey

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will next publish Sports and Leisure: results from the General Household Survey; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The Sports and Leisure module of the General Household Survey (GHS) has been superseded by the national Taking Part survey, the annual results of which were published on 14 December 2006.

Historic Environment Sites

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made towards increasing the number of people visiting designated historic environment sites from priority groups; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Final baseline data on the proportion of visitors from priority groups to the historic environment were published on 14 December 2006. Progress on increasing these proportions will be monitored regularly with final assessment of achievement available in late 2008.
	My Department continues to work closely with English Heritage, the National Trust and other heritage organisations on a broad range of policies and programmes to increase participation in the historic environment by the priority groups.

Historic Environment Sites

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the baseline is for the target for increasing the number of people visiting designated historic environment sites from priority groups.

Richard Caborn: My Department published the final baseline data on 14 December 2006. The baseline figures for the proportion visiting the historic environment during the previous 12 months have been set at the following for the priority group population:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 Black and minority ethnic 51 
			 Limiting disability 59 
			 Lower socio-economic 57 
		
	
	The Department's PSA 3 target for the historic environment is, by 2008, to increase each of the priority group baseline estimates by 3 percentage points.

Historical Sites

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many historical sites were destroyed during construction projects in each year since May 1997.

David Lammy: The Department does not keep a record of those data. This information is recorded on a case by case basis at local government level as part of their Historic Environment Records. Two of the entries on the English Heritage Buildings at Risk Register have been demolished in the last 12 months. English Heritage is working on amending its database of Scheduled Monument Consents to capture unlicensed or unauthorised works to scheduled monuments. There were 33,500 decisions on applications for listed building consent in 2005-06.

Kensington Palace Gardens

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to whom the land which belonged to Kensington Palace Gardens was sold; whether construction is permitted on the land; when it was originally acquired; and whether the relevant royal authorities were consulted on reintegrating the land into the Gardens estate.

Richard Caborn: The land at the Royal Garden Hotel was sold to the Imperial Tobacco Pension Fund in July 2005. The land was initially leased to the owner of the hotel but it was subsequently decided to transfer the freehold. This was sanctioned by the Land at Palace Avenue, Kensington (Acquisition of Freehold) Act 2002. The land was originally acquired by William III. Under the terms of the sale in 2005 no new buildings are allowed without prior consent in writing from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. The Royal Household was consulted over the sale of the land.

Museums and Galleries

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the baseline is for the target for increasing the number of people accessing museums and galleries collections from priority groups.

Richard Caborn: My Department published the final baseline data on 14 December 2006. The baseline figures for the proportion attending a museum or gallery during the previous 12 months have been set at the following for the priority group population:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Baseline figure 
			 Black and minority ethnic 35 
			 Limiting disability 32 
			 Lower socio-economic 28 
		
	
	The Department's PSA 3 target for museums and galleries is, by 2008, to increase each of the priority group baseline estimates by two percentage points.

Museums and Galleries

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made on increasing the number of people accessing museums and galleries collections from priority groups; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Final baseline data on the proportion of visitors from priority groups to the historic environment were published on 14 December 2006. Progress on increasing these proportions will be monitored regularly with final assessment of achievement available in late 2008. My Department continues to work closely with our sponsored museums, the MLA and other organisations in the museum and gallery sector on a broad range of policies and programmes to increase participation by the priority groups.

National Lottery

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much National Lottery funding was made available to  (a) public and  (b) private libraries in each year for which figures are available, broken down by project.

Richard Caborn: The information is not held by the Department in the form requested so it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information on all Lottery awards is available from the database, searchable at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.

Olympic Games

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2006,  Official Report, column 1095W, on the Olympic Games, what proportion of the population in England engaged in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five times a week in each year since 2002; what estimate her Department has made of the expected proportion in each year until 2020; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: According to the Health Survey for England (2004) the percentage of the population achieving the physical activity recommendations of a minimum of 30 minutes of at least moderate intensity activity at least five times a week is 35 per cent. for men and 24 per cent. for women. Data for subsequent years since 2002 are not available and no precise estimates have been made to 2020.

Olympic Games

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2006,  Official Report, column 1095W, on the Olympic Games, whether the commitment to increase to 70 per cent. the proportion of the population who are reasonably active is still a government target distinct from the public service agreement to increase the number of people from priority groups who participate in sport by 3 per cent. by 2008; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: As set out in Choosing Activity: a physical activity action plan, the Government acknowledge the 70 per cent. target as an aspirational goal and has set out its priority target for increasing participation in the Public Service Agreement (PSA) to increase the number of people from priority groups who participate in sport by 3 per cent. by 2008.

Parliamentary Questions

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many written parliamentary questions to her Department in the 2005-06 session were answered with a reply that it had not been possible to reply before prorogation;
	(2)  how many written parliamentary questions to her Department in the 2005-06 session did not receive an answer.

Richard Caborn: All written parliamentary questions tabled to the Department in the 2005-06 session received an answer.
	Six questions were answered at the end of the 2005-06 session with a prorogation answer.
	My Department aims to answer parliamentary questions within the timescales specified by Parliament which is named day questions on the day named, and ordinary written questions within a working week.

Parliamentary Questions

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many written parliamentary questions to her Department in the 2005-06 session were not answered wholly or in part on the grounds of disproportionate cost.

David Lammy: This figure is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However all DCMS answers are a matter of public record and can be found in the  Official Report.

Physical Activity

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the amount of time  (a) adults and  (b) children spent each day on outdoor activities and sport in each year since 1997.

Richard Caborn: Year on year figures for the amount of time  (a) adults and  (b) children have spent each day on outdoor activities and sport since 1997 are not available.
	Figures taken from the General Household Survey (GHS) for 2002 show that 43 per cent. of adults participated in at least one activity, excluding walking, in the four weeks before interview compared to 46 per cent. in 1996. The figure, including walking, was 58 per cent. in 2002 and 64 per cent. in 1996. The apparent drop in participation may, in part, have resulted from a change in the wording of the question in relation to walking between the 1996 and 2002 surveys. Although in both surveys walks of two miles or more were asked about, the 2002 survey asked only about 'recreational walks.'
	Figures from the 2005-06 Taking Part survey show that 54 per cent. of adults participated in at least one active sport, excluding walking in the past four weeks.
	Figures from the 2003-04 National School Sport Survey show that 62 per cent. of pupils in School Sport Partnerships were doing at least two hours of high quality PE and school sport in a typical week. The figure rose to 69 per cent. in the survey year 2004-05 and 80 per cent. in 2005-06.

Physical Activity

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has made an estimate of the proportion of the population who engage in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five times a week in  (a) England and  (b) other European countries; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: According to the 2004 Health Survey for England, 37 per cent. of men and 24 per cent. of women are engaging in a minimum of 30 minutes moderate intensity activity at least five times a week.
	Figures from the 2005-06 Taking Part survey show that 21 per cent. of adults participated in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity sport at least three times a week. Although a direct comparison cannot be made, figures from the Review of National Sport Effort and Resources (2005) show that 11 per cent. of the adult population in Italy, 24 per cent. in France and 27 per cent. in Germany are undertaking at least 30 minutes of activity at least three times a week.

Public Appointments: Political Activities

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what political activity has been undertaken by board members of the  (a) Arts Council England,  (b) Heritage Lottery Fund and  (c) UK Film Council in the last five years.

David Lammy: Information about political activity, undertaken during the preceding five years, is required to be given by any applicant for appointment to the Board of these non-departmental public bodies. Serving Board members of these bodies are also required to provide up-dated information on any such activities when they are being considered for reappointment. I am aware that a member of the Board of the National Heritage Memorial Fund (which oversees the operations of the Heritage Lottery Fund), stood unsuccessfully for election as a local councillor during 2004, and that two members of the UK Film Council board have acted as occasional, unpaid consultants to the Labour Party in the last five years.
	Political activity has been interpreted in this response as it is defined in the Code of Practice published by the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointment.

Remembrance Sunday

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which delegates from the  (a) Commonwealth,  (b) the British Overseas Territories and  (c) Crown Dependencies will be invited to lay wreaths at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday in 2007.

David Lammy: Each year, representatives from Commonwealth countries with a high commission in London are invited to lay wreaths at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday. The Foreign Secretary lays a wreath on behalf of the Overseas Territories. Representatives from the Crown Dependencies are not invited to lay wreaths at the Ceremony at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday. Her Majesty the Queen lays her wreath on behalf of the whole nation. There are currently no plans to change these arrangements.

Rowing

David Heyes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects agreement between the Amateur Rowing Association, FISA and Sport England on boat buoyancy to be reached.

Richard Caborn: The DCMS has asked Sport England to commission an independent review of rowing safety which will include an assessment of the issue of boat buoyancy. To date the terms of reference for the review remain to be agreed with the key stakeholders. Once this has been achieved the process of consultation and research will commence. At this stage it is not know when the review will report.

Royal Events

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what events have been planned to commemorate the Diamond Wedding Anniversary of HM the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in 2007.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is not currently involved in preparations for any events to commemorate the Diamond Wedding Anniversary of HM the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in 2007.
	A crown piece to celebrate the diamond wedding anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness Prince Philip will be available in 2007.
	Any further announcements will be made closer to the time.

Royal Events

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what events have been planned to mark the Diamond Jubilee of HM the Queen in 2012.

Richard Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Culture gave him on 30 March 2006,  Official Report, column 1156W.

Sports Coaching

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time community sports coaches were employed at the end of 2006; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: At the end of December 2006 funding awards have been made to support 3,245 community sports coach posts. Current data from Sport England and the Youth Sport Trust shows that 2,856 community sports coach posts are operational, of which 701 are full time and 2,155 part-time positions.

Sports Coaching

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in how many sports national coaching certificates were implemented, broken down by sport.

Richard Caborn: The following sports have been endorsed to deliver UK Coaching Certificate (UKCC), formerly the National Coaching Certificate, qualifications at the following levels:
	
		
			   Level 
			 Badminton 1 
			 Cricket 1, 2, 3 
			 Cycling 2 
			 Hockey 1, 2, 3 
			 Netball 1 
			 Rugby League 1, 2, 3 
			 Rugby Union 1, 2 
			 Rowing 2 
			 Swimming coaching 1 
			 Synchronised Swim 1 
			 Water Polo 1 
			 Diving 1 
			 Squash 1, 2 
			 Table Tennis 1 
			 Tennis 1 
			 Triathlon 1, 2 
		
	
	Sports coach UK's Coaching Standards Group, responsible for endorsing UKCC qualifications, will consider revised qualifications submitted from a further six sports by the end of February 2007.

Telephone Services

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps Ofcom is taking to inform the public of the cost of 0871 numbers.

Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
	The matter raised is the responsibility of the Regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Trooping the Colour

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the personal Commonwealth flag of Queen Elizabeth II will be displayed at the Trooping the Colour in 2007.

Richard Caborn: The personal Commonwealth flag of Queen Elizabeth II is not flown at Trooping the Colour as it is only flown when Her Majesty visits Commonwealth countries.

Trooping the Colour

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the flags from all the  (a) Crown Dependencies and  (b) Overseas Territories will be displayed at the Trooping the Colour in 2007.

Richard Caborn: The flags from the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories will not be displayed at Trooping the Colour in 2007, as only the flags of the Commonwealth countries are flown. The Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories are not member states of the Commonwealth.

Union Flag

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on which occasions the Union Flag is flown from Government department buildings.

Richard Caborn: The Union Flag is flown on Government Department buildings on the following 16 appointed occasions.
	The Birthday of The Countess of Wessex
	Her Majesty's Accession
	The Birthday of the Duke of York
	The Birthday of The Earl of Wessex
	Commonwealth Day
	The Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen
	St. George's Day
	Europe Day
	Coronation Day
	The Birthday of The Duke of Edinburgh
	The Official Celebration of Her Majesty's birthday
	The Birthday of The Duchess of Cornwall
	The Birthday of The Princess Royal
	Remembrance Sunday
	The Birthday of The Prince of Wales
	Her Majesty's Wedding Day
	The Union Flag is also flown to mark certain other ad hoc occasions including State Visits, State Opening of Parliament and, the deaths of Heads of State. Different guidance is in place for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Visitor Economy

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made on providing a sector needs analysis for visitor economy; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: People 1st (the Sector Skills Council for the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries) recently undertook a comprehensive Skill Needs Assessment as part of their 'Sector Skills Agreement' (SSA) process. This is a major DfES policy area designed to create a demand led system of education and training.
	The Sector Skills Agreement has five stages, the first of which is the Skills Needs Assessment. This Assessment, undertaken between May and November 2005, looked at the current and future skill needs of the sector through extensive consultation with employers regionally, by industry and across the four UK nations. The research identified management and leadership, customer service and chefs skills as the priority skill areas.
	Linked to this, retention was also identified as a priority. The industry has high staff turnover rates, which cost the sector nearly 1 billion each year. The full report and a summary can be found at www.people1st.co.uk.
	The second stage is an assessment of the supply of learning, which People 1st undertook between January and June 2006 (consulting with both employers and learning providers). The research revealed the sector employs a high percentage of students and international workers, has weak progression routes, and the majority of employers are confused about both what support is available and how to access it.
	The third stage looked at the gap between supply and demand, and is being used to inform the final two stages which involve working with employers and delivery partners to finalise the agreement. Further details will be available when these discussions have concluded.
	This research has underpinned the series of Skills Summits that DCMS held with People 1st. These summits are overseeing the development of a National Skills Strategy for the sector (the England arm of the Sector Skills Agreement), which is due for completion in March 2007.
	I recently chaired the third summit in this series and launched the UK Skills Passport. The Passport will benefit both employers and employees by providing an entire system of career development and training, and signposting industry to qualifications and funding that meet their needs. A fourth Skills Summit will take place later this spring.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agricultural Shows

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which agricultural shows he expects to attend during 2007.

Barry Gardiner: The Secretary of State's diary for 2007 has not yet been finalised. He is due to attend the Oxford Farming Conference on 3 January and will consider invitations to agricultural shows in the light of the Department's objectives.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much rural payments subsidy was paid to Mr. F. Ainsworth of Rossendale; and what steps his Department is taking to recover that to which he was not entitled.

Barry Gardiner: Mr. Ainsworth has been a claimant under the rural payments scheme. Recipients of payments to which they are not entitled are subject to the Rural Payments Agency recovery procedures.

Animal Culls

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what culls have been conducted by his Department since May 1997; what  (a) costs were involved,  (b) compensation was paid and  (c) number of animals were killed in each case.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information on DEFRA's disease surveillance and control policies and activities is available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/default.htm.

Animal Welfare Act

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he has put in place to ensure that owners of dogs with naturally bobbed tails will not be prosecuted under Section 6 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Ben Bradshaw: No specific steps have been taken to ensure that owners of dogs with naturally bobbed tails are not prosecuted. The number of breeds with natural bobs is small and I think it extremely unlikely that an owner of such a dog would be prosecuted under the tail docking ban. Should such a case be brought before the courts, the burden of proof lies with the prosecution to prove that an offence has been committed, and evidence from a veterinary surgeon or breed society is likely to establish the necessary facts.

Badger Culling

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when experiments on controlling cattle TB by badger culling were first begun by his Department; how many badgers have been culled to date; and what the cost of such culls has been.

Ben Bradshaw: The only experiment run by DEFRA or MAFF is the randomised badger culling trial (RBCT), which began in 1998. A total of 10,957 badgers were culled during the trial. Culling operations ended in October 2005, with some surveying work continuing into 2006. The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB, which oversaw the trial, is now working through an analysis of the data for its final report which is due in 2007.
	The RBCT has cost 48 million, which includes the costs of the field trial, analysis and audit.
	Badger culling operations prior to the RBCT were badger control strategiesnot experiments. Further information on the RBCT, and a history of badger controls, is available on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/abouttb/badgers.htm.

Bees

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many bee-keeping inspectors are employed by his Department; what assessment he has made of their functions; and if he will make a statement about their future.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 18 December 2006
	The National Bee Unit (NBU), part of the Central Science Laboratory, delivers the bee health programme on behalf of DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government. Within the NBU, there are eight regional bee inspectors and approximately 36 seasonal bee inspectors led by a national bee inspector. They carry out a targeted apiary inspection programme together with an extensive series of training events for bee keepers.
	Work is under way, in consultation with stakeholders, to develop a bee health strategy. This exercise includes reviewing the current programme to determine its effectiveness and assessing future options for achieving our objectives.

Biosecurity

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on initiatives to educate  (a) farmers and  (b) vets to recognise the clinical signs of biosecurity threats and infectious diseases in livestock in each year since 2000.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, as an example, over 500,000 has been spent over the last 18 months raising awareness of the symptoms of avian influenza, promoting the Great Britain poultry register and informing bird keepers of the appropriate biosecurity measures. The messages used were developed with interested parties. This process is continuing with other diseases such as bluetongue, classical swine fever and foot and mouth disease.
	Good biosecurity is a vital part of keeping new disease away from animals. It also helps to improve farm efficiency, and to protect neighbouring farms and the countryside.
	Further information, including the current DEFRA biosecurity guidance, is available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/control/biosecurity/index.htm.

Biosecurity

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to detect and identify pathogens that pose threats to livestock in the United Kingdom.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department undertakes a wide range of surveillance activities to detect and identify pathogens that pose threats to livestock in the United Kingdom.
	The International Disease Surveillance Team monitors the occurrence of major animal disease outbreaks worldwide as an early warning to assess the risk these events may pose to the UK. Our assessments and reports aim to raise awareness that animal disease outbreaks occur regularly around the world. We publish our assessments and routine summary reports on the DEFRA website or in the Veterinary Record. Details of this work can be found at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/monitoring/index.htm
	Owing to increased international concern about the spread of avian influenza, increased targeted surveillance is being undertaken. This includes enhancing the UK wild bird survey, investigating the causes of unusually high mortality events in wild birds, and a national survey for avian influenza viruses of subtypes H5 and H7 in domestic poultry. Further information can be found on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/wildbirds/survey.htm#2
	DEFRA continues to work closely with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to prevent illegal imports entering the UK and causing a disease outbreak. This includes effective enforcement, targeted risk-based inspections and raising public awareness. More information can be found on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/illegali
	A surveillance programme is also undertaken by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency to provide DEFRA and other interested parties with a targeted assessment of the current disease status of farmed livestock and birds in England and Wales (disease information in Scotland is provided by the Scottish Agricultural Colleges Veterinary Science Division) and to warn of potential risks from changing disease trends or new diseases. It also monitors any welfare issues resulting from changes in husbandry practice or the emergence of new diseases. The project also provides information which assists in supporting declarations of Great Britain-wide clearance for exotic non-notifiable diseases. The principal outputs of this programme are a series of disease surveillance reports which are published on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/surveillance reports/index.htm
	The Department is working closely with devolved Administrations to implement the UK Veterinary Surveillance Strategy which aims to
	(i) Improve our network of surveillance partners
	(ii) Improve prioritisation to ensure that surveillance activity is targeted effectively, based on risk assessment
	(iii) Using an innovative IT system (RADAR) to help identify, analyse and track animal disease-related threats more rapidly
	(iv) Improve data sharing and data quality.
	Further information on this is available on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/vetsurveillance/index.htm.

Biosecurity

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether there is a national response plan in the event of attack on the United Kingdom food supply chain.

Barry Gardiner: DEFRA participates fully in the central Government programme to improve civil contingency planning, especially in areas relating to our departmental responsibilities. This includes planning in relation to disruptions to the UK food chain.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will undertake an evaluation of the costs and benefits of introducing pre-movement testing prior to 42 days for bovine TB.

Ben Bradshaw: Monitoring of the impacts of phase one of pre-movement testing is ongoing. Key statistics are updated monthly and published on the DEFRA website at:
	www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/premovement/monitoring-data.htm
	No evidence has emerged to date that alters the decision to extend pre-movement testing to younger animals in March 2007 as already set out in legislation.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many false positive results were obtained from tests for bovine tuberculosis in  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005 and  (c) in the first six months of 2006.

Ben Bradshaw: For the Great Britain routine herd testing programme for bovine tuberculosis (bTB), the Government uses the single intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin (SICCT) test (commonly known as the skin test). For reasons outlined, it is not possible to give a precise figure for the number of false positive results obtained from these bTB tests.
	When the skin test is applied to cattle in bTB-free herds in Great Britain, there is less than a one in 1,000 chance that a non-infected animal will be wrongly classified as a reactor. This is known as the test's false positive rate. An alternative way of defining this is to say that the skin test has a specificity in excess of 99.9 per cent. Although the probability of getting at least one false positive result increases with the size of the herd being tested, it would be extremely rare to find more than one false positive in a herd.
	It is important to bear in mind that failure to confirm the disease by post-mortem examination at the slaughterhouse, or by culturing the causative bacterium in the laboratory, does not mean that the animal was not infected with bTB. In the early stages of this infectious disease, it is not always possible to see lesions with the naked eye and, owing to the fastidious nature of the organism, it is not possible to culture it from tissue samples in every case. Therefore, it is not correct to consider all skin test reactors that fail to disclose disease in the slaughterhouse or in the laboratory as false positives. The ease with which lesions of bTB can be detected at slaughter depends on the stage of infection, with lesions being harder to find in the early stages of bTB (that is, when most animals are detected using the skin test).
	The following table shows, for 2004, 2005 and the first six months of 2006, the total number of test reactors slaughtered and the number of such reactors that had demonstrable evidence of infection at post-mortem examination and/or bacteriological culture.
	
		
			   Total number of reactor( 1)  cattle slaughtered under TB control measures in Great Britain  Number of confirmed reactors  Number of unconfirmed reactors 
			 2006 (1st half) 10,109 3,913 6,196 
			 2005 25,755 8,657 17,098 
			 2004 19,975 6,422 13,553 
			 (1) Reactors, inconclusive reactors and direct contacts.

BSE

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects to make a statement on whether the national flock shows evidence of BSE.

Ben Bradshaw: The Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) has tested all samples from sheep that were diagnosed as being positive for scrapie, from 1998 to the present time, for the possible presence of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). This is nearly 3,000 samples and all have been negative for BSE.
	Recently, in light of the testing performed by the VLA, the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee's Sheep Subgroup discussed the current likelihood of BSE being present in the national sheep flock. They concluded that
	the prevalence of BSE in the UK sheep population is most likely to be zero, or very low if present at all.
	A draft of the Subgroup's statement is available at:
	http://www.seac.gov.uk/papers/95-2.pdf.
	The statement was discussed at a recent meeting of the main Committee on 7 December 2006 and, although it recommended some minor changes to the text, the main conclusions in the report were ratified by the Committee.

Christmas Trees

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the number of Christmas trees purchased in England that are  (a) UK grown and  (b) imported in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The following table provides details of Christmas trees sold in the UK which are imported and UK grown for each year from 1997 to 2005.
	
		
			  Number of Christmas trees sold in the UK which are imported and UK grown 
			  Million 
			   Imports  UK grown  Total sold 
			 1997 0.4 5.0 5.4 
			 1998 0.4 5.3 5.7 
			 1999 0.4 6.0 6.4 
			 2000 0.3 6.6 6.9 
			 2001 0.5 6.2 6.7 
			 2002 0.4 6.5 6.9 
			 2003 0.6 7.5 8.1 
			 2004 0.6 8.0 8.6 
			 2005 0.5 8.0 8.5 
			  Note: Data prepared by Trade statistics, Agricultural Statistics and Analysis Division, DEFRA  Sources: ImportsH M Revenue and Customs UK grownBritish Christmas Tree Growers Association 
		
	
	UK grown sales are compiled by the British Christmas Tree Growers Association and are based on the best available information and intelligence sourced from the industry. Imports of Christmas trees are as recorded in the official Overseas Trade Statistics.
	The British Christmas Tree Growers Association forecast sales for 2006 of 7.6 million UK grown trees. The majority of imports occur in the latter part of the year, and consequently statistics on imports for 2006 are not yet available.

Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many penalty fines have been imposed on local councils in North Yorkshire under the provisions of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

Ben Bradshaw: The fixed penalty notice provisions contained within the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 were commenced in April 2006. Details on the number of fixed penalty notices issued between April 2006 and March 2007 will be collected from local authorities in July 2007. This information will then be published in the autumn.

Competition Commission

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he last discussed the relationship between supermarkets and food producers with the Competition Commission.

Barry Gardiner: There have been no discussions between the Secretary of State and the Competition Commission about the relationship between supermarkets and food producers. However, Lord Rooker wrote to the Competition Commission on 2 June to draw attention to matters that we believe it should look at during its investigation of the grocery market. These include the impact of supermarket buyer power on the long-term viability of suppliers and producers in the UK, and the effectiveness of the supermarket code of practice. A copy of the letter can be found on the DEFRA website at:
	www.defra.gov.uk/foodrin/compete/pdf/rooker-compcomm-letter060613.pdf

Departmental Energy Efficiency

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to reduce the temperature level in offices in his Department in order to cut carbon emissions.

Barry Gardiner: From December 2005, DEFRA implemented a policy that its buildings are heated to a maximum temperature of 21(o)C. Active measures are being taken to implement this policy and to reduce office temperatures where they are being exceeded.

Departmental Property

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the timetable is for the relocation and closure of the offices of his Department located at Epsom Road, Merrow, Guildford; what procedures his Department will follow on the disposal or sale of land where the offices are located; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The DEFRA Management Board agreed on 16 November that the Guildford site should be disposed of with a target date of December 2007 for receipt of disposal proceeds and that the business units (including IBM) should relocate to identified locations no later than autumn 2007.
	DEFRA undertakes the disposal of surplus land, buildings and residential properties in accordance with Chapter 24 of HM Treasury's Government Accounting 2000 (Amendment 4/05), following the guidelines contained in Annex 24.2. DEFRA also takes full account of other guidance issued by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), including its most recent Guide for the Disposal of Surplus Property (November 2005).

Departmental Staff

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the effective date is for annual pay awards to his Department's staff; and what the actual implementation date has been in each of the last five years.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 12 December 2006
	For staff in the senior civil service, the effective date for the annual pay award is 1 April. In each of the last five years the award has been implemented in June salaries. In 2006, the award was applied in two stages with effective dates of 1 April and 1 November. The first stage was implemented in June and the second in November salaries.
	For staff below the senior civil service cover by core-DEFRA pay arrangements (core-DEFRA, State Veterinary Service, Pesticides Safety Directorate, Veterinary Medicines Directorate, Marine Fisheries Agency and Government Decontamination Service), the effective date for the annual pay award is 1 July. The month in which the award has been implemented in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			   Month 
			 2002 December 
			 2003 August 
			 2004 July 
			 2005 July 
			 2006 December

Electric Shock Collars

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) examined into the animal welfare issues related to the operation of electric shock collars on (i) dogs and (ii) other animals.

Ben Bradshaw: DEFRA has not yet commissioned any research into the animal welfare issues related to the operation of electric shock collars on dogs, though we are currently considering a proposal to assess the effect of specific electronic pet training aids (excluding electronic dog fences) on the welfare of dogs.
	We have examined the available relevant peer reviewed research on the welfare effects of electric shock collars on dogs. We have not examined or commissioned research into animal welfare issues related to the operation of electric shock collars on other animals.
	I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 6 December 2006,  Official Report, column 420W.

Electronic Equipment

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who the manufacturers were of the  (a) mobile telephones and  (b) computer equipment supplied to his Department since January 2006.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 14 December 2006
	Since January 2006 the manufacturers of  (a) mobile telephones and  (b) computer equipment supplied new to the Department have been as follows:
	 (a) Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, RIM;
	 (b) Dell, Lenovo, Hewlett Packard.

Eunomia Consultancy

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies has paid to the Eunomia consultancy; and for what purpose.

Barry Gardiner: From information held centrally, the sums paid to the company Eunomia are as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Value () 
			 2002-03 23,860.42 
			 2003-04 7,094.23 
			 2004-05 57,239.11 
			 2005-06 11,929.20 
			 1 April to 30 June 2006 9,380.49 
		
	
	The expenditure with Eunomia covers work commissioned by DEFRA on environment regulation policy and the waste implementation programme. Data on any expenditure with Eunomia by DEFRA's agencies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Fallen Stock

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made to date of the total cost to the farming industry of implementing fallen stock disposal regulations.

Ben Bradshaw: Assuming 100 per cent. compliance with the regulations, the Department has estimated that the cost of collection and disposal of all fallen stock in the UK is just over 50 million per year. However, about 30 million of that cost is accounted for by arrangements for testing of cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and the costs are borne by the Government.
	The voluntary National Fallen Stock Scheme (NFSS) also benefits from 20 million of Government funding over four years to November 2008, to assist with the costs to the industry of complying with the regulations. From November 2004 when the scheme started to November 2006, 11.5 million of Government funding had been given, with farmers who were members contributing just over 14 million.
	However, it should be recognised that many livestock producers were already disposing of their fallen stock by means other than burial before the regulations came into force. In such cases implementing the regulations did not impose an additional cost.

Farms

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on implementing his pledge to enable each school child to visit a farm.

Barry Gardiner: The Year of Food and Farming is an industry-led initiative supported by DEFRA, the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health. The Year aims to reconnect children and young people with food, farming and the countryside. It will run through the academic year from September 2007 to July 2008. A series of national, regional and local events and learning resources will be supplemented by a wide range of other activities for children to participate in, including visits to food and farm businesses.
	My officials and I have worked closely with our counterparts at the Department for Education and Skills, and with other stakeholders, in developing this initiative.

Flood Defences: North Yorkshire

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the implications are for flood defences in North Yorkshire of the recent changes to his Department's allocation of funds to the Environment Agency.

Ian Pearson: DEFRA funds most of the Environment Agency's (EA) flood-related work and grant aids individual capital improvement projects undertaken by local authorities and, in low-lying areas, internal drainage boards. The programme to manage risk is driven by these operating authorities; DEFRA does not build defences, or direct the authorities on what specific projects to undertake.
	Local authority expenditure on flood risk management (including levies to the EA and internal drainage boards) is largely supported by the local government funding mechanisms operated by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
	The reduction in funding to the EA applies only to non-capital spend and it is re-prioritising its spend to minimise the impact on flood risk management. Local authorities are not affected and neither are projects to manage coastal erosion risk.
	Within Yorkshire, the EA has undertaken significant works within the Ouse catchment area to repair and improve flood defences since the floods of autumn 2000. These include repairs to defences in York and Selby (including the Foss Barrier) totalling in excess of 1 million and improvements to flood defences in Selby, due to be completed in 2008 at a cost of some 14 million.

Gamebird Farms

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether his Department inspects intensive gamebird farms; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether his Department has instigated any prosecutions of intensive gamebird farms in the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whether the duty of care under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 will apply to intensively reared gamebirds;
	(4)  whether he is planning to introduce regulations on intensive rearing of gamebirds;
	(5)  what regulations apply to the intensive rearing of game birds;
	(6)  what stocking densities apply to the intensive rearing of game birds; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 19 December 2006
	There is no provision for routine inspection of gamebird farms at present.
	There have been no prosecutions of intensive gamebird farms by DEFRA in the last five years.
	The Animal Welfare Act 2006, which will come into force in April 2007, introduces a duty on people responsible for an animal to take such steps as are reasonable to ensure its welfare. This new power will apply to gamebirds reared for sporting shooting prior to their release, and to gamebirds reared for meat.
	We have no plans to introduce regulations for the rearing of gamebirds. We do, however, propose to use powers under the Animal Welfare Act to produce a Code of Practice, which will provide guidance on accommodation and management methods, including aggression reduction. Specifically on the issue of raised laying units, before considering regulation or a ban on the system, I believe that it is important I obtain an independent view on this method of housing gamebirds. To that end, the Farm Animal Welfare Council's study of the system and its report will be fundamental in informing my decision on their future. As you are aware, I have particular concerns surrounding the use of raised laying units and will not hesitate to take appropriate action if, following the report, I believe that the bird's welfare is compromised. Any code would be subject to public consultation and endorsement by Parliament.
	At present, all animals, including gamebirds reared for sporting purposes, are covered by the Protection of Animals Act 1911. Under this Act it is an offence to ill-treat or cause unnecessary suffering to any captive or domestic animal. In addition, gamebirds reared for slaughter for food would be covered by the Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations.
	There are no specific stocking densities of gamebirds required under present law.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent by his Department and its associated public bodies in order to achieve Gershon efficiency savings; whether these costs have been included in reports of headline efficiency savings; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Sir Peter Gershon's independent report on public sector efficiency did not ask Departments to record efficiencies net of upfront investment costs and DEFRA has followed this advice.
	DEFRA does not hold information centrally on the total cost of achieving its Gershon efficiency gains. Such information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much in efficiency savings has been made in his Department and its associated public bodies as a result of the Gershon Review; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Verified figures for efficiency savings made by DEFRA to the end of quarter 2 2006-07 are given in the Department's autumn performance report published on 15 December 2006.

Global Warming

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Department has spent on research into global warming in 2005-06; and on what projects money has been spent.

Ian Pearson: DEFRA's climate change science research programme analyses the risk of human-induced climate change and assesses its potential impacts and means of adaptation and mitigation. Total spending on climate science research in 2005-06 was 15.7 million. This included over 11 million for the Hadley Centre (part of the Meteorological Office) and around 0.7 million for the UK Climate Impacts Programme (www.ukcip.org.uk).
	DEFRA also commissions research on energy efficiency and energy use. The expenditure on research related to climate change and energy was over 1 million in 2005-06.
	The following table shows the research programme's spending for the financial year 2005-06.
	
		
			  Research  Cost () 
			 Observation and underpinning science of climate change 13,314,670 
			 Assessing the impact of climate change 1,295,393 
			 Identification of mitigation options 1,134,261 
			 Energy efficiency and energy use 1,081,935 
		
	
	Details of all DEFRA research projects on climate change and energy can be found at:
	http://www2.defra.gov.uk/research/project_data/projects.asp? SCOPE=0M=PSAV=EP%3A030
	and
	http://www2.defra.gov.uk/research/project_data/projects.asp? SCOPE=0M=PSAV=PI%3A070F

GM Potatoes

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will discuss with the British Potato Council the Government's plans to allow trials of GM potatoes.

Ian Pearson: The British Potato Council has already made its views clear on this matter. We granted a statutory consent on 1 December for the company BASF to undertake research trials of a genetically modified, disease-resistant potato, starting in 2007.

Marine Fisheries Agency

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the measures taken by the Marine Fisheries Agency to manage UK fishing fleet capacity referred to on page 177 of his Department's annual report were; what the cost of the measures has been to date; what measure is used of their effectiveness; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Marine Fisheries Agency delivers a wide range of services in support of fisheries management and environmental conservation. One of its functions is to manage fishing fleet capacity on behalf of DEFRA. The main measures and activities undertaken by the agency in this area include
	i. Licensing of all England and Wales fishing vessels to control the capacity and fishing activity.
	ii. Implementation of rules and limitations on fishing fleet capacity and regimes based on:
	reliable and accurate data;
	effective enforcement.
	iii. Provision of detailed guidance to industry on the application of days at sea arrangements, for example, cod and sole.
	The unaggregated costs to the agency of these measures could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The agency's measures of effectiveness in relation to its activities refer to the efficiency in fulfilling its obligations for issuing fishing vessel licences, recovery scheme entitlements, processing transfers of days in the two recovery areas and monthly entries and exits to the fleet to ensure no increase in overall capacity.

Meat Imports

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the  (a) volume and  (b) value of each meat product imported from (i) Argentina, (ii) Botswana, (iii) Brazil, (iv) China, (v) Democratic Republic of Congo, (vi) Ecuador, (vii) Egypt, (viii) Israel, (ix) Palestinian Autonomous Territories, (x) Russia, (xi) South Africa, (xii) Turkey and (xiii) Vietnam was in each of the last five years; and what the (A) volume and (B) value of such imports has been in 2006-07 in each case.

Barry Gardiner: The following table provides details of the imports of meat and meat products from the specified countries as recorded in the official overseas trade statistics for the period 2001 to September 2006.
	
		
			  UK imports of meat and meat products from selected countries for 2001 to September 2006 
			 2001  2002  2003 
			  Description  Type  Cut  000  Tonnes  000  Tonnes  000  Tonnes 
			 Brazil Beef Meat and offal (other than liver) 71,235 52,062 66,055 52,573 57,616 53,541 
			   Boneless 35,085 21,907 31,684 19,089 52,855 32,058 
			   Edible offal 115 133 129 144 46 64 
			   Carcases and half carcases   
			   Other cuts with bone in   
			  Chicken Boneless 32,961 18,929 19,109 14,222 21,679 16,761 
			   Meat, meat offal or blood 14,681 7,071 15,127 8,512 17,909 9,901 
			   Whole 635 880 727 1,260 945 1,759 
			   Bone in 19 25 26 24 112 95 
			  Other (not stated elsewhere Meat   33,710 28,647 12,739 11,927 
			   Edible offal   132 120   
			   Meat, meat offal or blood 15 7 
			  Turkey Meat, meat offal or blood 7,287 4,353 8,619 7,618 12,310 10,563 
			   Boneless 232 123 30 24 215 142 
			  Sheep and goat Edible offal   
			  Lamb Carcases and half carcases   
			  Sheep Bone in 36 17 
			  Poultry Meat, meat offal or blood 4 1 
			  
			 Argentina Beef Boneless 3,476 1,138 31,995 18,269 21,796 9,372 
			   Meat and offal (other than liver) 6,915 4,797 7,207 5,262 7,139 5,881 
			   Edible offal 255 154 227 182 128 127 
			   Other cuts with bone in   
			  Chicken Boneless 311 166 736 513 2,057 1,393 
			   Whole   
			   Bone in 5 2   383 376 
			   Meat, meat offal or blood   
			  Lamb Carcases and half carcases   30 19 1,820 1,123 
			   Boneless 280 111 314 142 297 178 
			  Sheep Bone in 19 5 155 83 105 62 
			   Boneless 3 3 78 39   
			   Meat, meat offal or blood 53 8 183 30   
			  Sheep and goat Edible offal 52 34 10 10 6 2 
			  Other (not stated elsewhere Meat   84 66   
			   Edible offal   29 24   
			  Turkey Meat, meat offal or blood   15 12   
			  
			 Botswana Beef Boneless 29,984 10,983 17,251 5,495 16,091 5,202 
			   Meat and offal (other than liver 520 182 1,178 583 319 130 
			  
			 Israel Turkey Meat, meat offal or blood 1,709 978 1,168 777 1,094 566 
			   Boneless 58 35 
			   Whole 6 5 2 2 18 13 
			   Edible offal 2 2 1 1   
			   Bone in 2 2   1 1 
			  Chicken Meat, meat offal or blood 32 9 41 11 81 24 
			   Bone in 10 6 59 31 31 13 
			   Whole 3 2 36 21   
			   Boneless 2 1 33 13   
			   Edible offal   
			  Poultry Meat, meat offal or blood 61 14 
			  Sausages and similar products Meat, meat offal or blood 29 9 
			  Beef Edible offal 5 1 
			  Other (not stated elsewhere Meat, meat offal or blood   
			  
			 South Africa Beef Meat and offal (other than liver) 446 287 95 67   
			   Boneless 79 29 
			  Game (not stated elsewhere Meat and edible meat offal 22 2 115 14 9 1 
			  Other (not stated elsewhere Meat and edible meat offal   5 1 17 14 
			  Chicken Meat, meat offal or blood   
			  Poultry Meat, meat offal or blood   
			  
			 China Chicken Meat, meat offal or blood   
			  Rabbit Meat and edible meat offal 89 72 
			  Sheep Bone in   30 11   
			   Boneless   8 2   
			  Poultry Meat, meat offal or blood   
			  Lamb Boneless   
			  
			 Turkey Beef Meat and offal (other than liver)   
			  Chicken Boneless 16 9 
			  Turkey Bone in 14 7 
			  Pig Meat   
			  Goose Whole 6 3 
			  Duck Whole 1 1 
			  Sheep Meat, meat offal or blood 1 1 
			  
			 Russia Pig Hams, shoulders and cuts, bone in 23 23 
			  
			 Vietnam Frogs' legs Meat and edible meat offal   2 1 10 4 
			  Poultry Meat, meat offal or blood   
			  
			 Egypt Chicken Meat, meat offal or blood 0 0 
			   Boneless 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 2004  2005  January to September 2006 
			  Brazil  Beef  Cut  000  Tonnes  000  Tonnes  000  Tonnes 
			   Meat and offal (other than liver) 72,984 58,677 73,581 53,237 59,651 38,293 
			   Boneless 60,783 34,588 59,134 32,120 52,767 22,630 
			   Edible offal 324 331 323 339 111 109 
			   Carcases and half carcases 22 23 32 23   
			   Other cuts with bone in   93 33   
			  Chicken Boneless 46,060 34,891 59,759 48,194 22,846 15,849 
			   Meat, meat offal or blood 9,445 6,148 14,087 10,224 9,155 6,159 
			   Whole 2,674 4,674 1,902 2,822 1,105 1,837 
			   Bone in 7 12 
			  Other (not stated elsewhere Meat 2,500 2,135 
			   Edible offal   
			   Meat, meat offal or blood   
			  Turkey Meat, meat offal or blood 5,451 4,233 1,063 863 101 72 
			   Boneless 452 324 220 144 83 69 
			  Sheep and goat Edible offal 73 63 
			  Lamb Carcases and half carcases 30 17 14 17   
			  Sheep Bone in   
			  Poultry Meat, meat offal or blood 2 1 
			  Sausages and similar products Meat, meat offal or blood   
			  
			 Argentina Beef Boneless 24,188 8,641 28,413 9,226 14,252 3,666 
			   Meat and offal (other than liver) 11,259 8,931 10,164 7,309 5,835 3,533 
			   Edible offal 165 169 376 265 98 57 
			   Other cuts with bone in   16 11   
			  Chicken Boneless 1,306 1,015 1,782 1,276 1,134 855 
			   Whole 148 249 350 485 89 136 
			   Bone in 67 66 
			   Meat, meat offal or blood 24 14   30 24 
			  Lamb Carcases and half carcases 2,285 1,496 2,012 1,233 337 227 
			   Boneless 297 180 1,066 515 1,100 683 
			  Sheep Bone in 54 42 69 34 519 252 
			   Boneless 36 24 
			   Meat, meat offal or blood   
			  Sheep and goat Edible offal 3 8 65 107 57 76 
			  Other (not stated elsewhere Meat   
			   Edible offal   
			  Turkey Meat, meat offal or blood   
			  
			 Botswana Beef Boneless 15,422 4,848 11,351 3,461 4,587 1,293 
			   Meat and offal (other than liver 506 285 376 201 367 178 
			  
			 Israel Turkey Meat, meat offal or blood 584 278 107 32 36 14 
			   Boneless 180 97 
			   Whole 1 1 
			   Edible offal 1 1 
			   Bone in   
			  Chicken Meat, meat offal or blood 69 20 53 15 24 5 
			   Bone in 45 17 22 9 25 7 
			   Whole   
			   Boneless   
			   Edible offal 1 0 
			  Poultry Meat, meat offal or blood 59 7 42 3 60 4 
			  Sausages and similar products Meat, meat offal or blood 23 7 11 3   
			  Beef Edible offal   
			  Other (not stated elsewhere Meat, meat offal or blood 2 1 
			  
			 South Africa Beef Meat and offal (other than liver) 519 388 399 254 197 118 
			   Boneless   
			  Game (not stated elsewhere Meat and edible meat offal 95 31 69 6 58 15 
			  Other (not stated elsewhere Meat and edible meat offal 65 15 
			  Chicken Meat, meat offal or blood 42 19 
			  Poultry Meat, meat offal or blood 7 4 
			  
			 China Chicken Meat, meat offal or blood   160 109 30 19 
			  Rabbit Meat and edible meat offal   
			  Sheep Bone in   73 20   
			   Boneless   
			  Poultry Meat, meat offal or blood   62 18   
			  Lamb Boneless   20 4 30 13 
			  
			 Turkey Beef Meat and offal (other than liver) 155 160 
			  Chicken Boneless 38 13 
			  Turkey Bone in   
			  Pig Meat   9 6   
			  Goose Whole   
			  Duck Whole   
			  Sheep Meat, meat offal or blood   
			  
			 Russia Pig Hams, shoulders and cuts, bone in   
			  
			 Vietnam Frogs' legs Meat and edible meat offal   23 9   
			  Poultry Meat, meat offal or blood 9 2 
			  
			 Egypt Chicken Meat, meat offal or blood   
			   Boneless   
			 0 = Quantity less than half the unit shown  = Nil values 
		
	
	It should be noted that imports of certain meats from many of these countries are not permitted. The following provides details of these import restrictions:
	
		
			 Brazil Bone in beef meat (inc carcases and half carcases) 
			 Brazil Sheep meat, inc lamb and goat meat 
			 Argentina Sheep and goat meat/lamb (only from May 2002) 
			 Israel Beef 
			 China Sheep meat inc lamb 
			 Turkey Beef, pig meat, sheep meat 
			 Russia Pig meat 
			 Turkey All poultry meat 
			 Vietnam All poultry meat 
			 Egypt All poultry meat 
			 China All poultry meat was prohibited from China in 2004 
		
	
	Where imports are not permitted we believe that any imports recorded in the overseas trade statistics represent consignments which have been exported from GB, rejected and returned or goods where the incorrect customs code have been entered.
	There was no recorded trade in meat and meat products during this period for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador or Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Occupied Palestinian Territory is the recognised designation for the Palestinian region used by HMRC.

Organic Wine

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the  (a) value,  (b) output and  (c) growth rate of the UK organic wine industry in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Owing to technical labelling rules, the EC Regulations do not recognise Organic Wine as such but only recognise Wine Produced from Organically Grown Grapes. There is currently discussion at a European level in relation to amending these rules.
	DEFRA has made no assessment of the value, output and growth rate of vineyards under organic production. Statistics given to DEFRA by the Organic Certification Bodies show only two hectares of vineyards currently under organic production in the UK, but this is likely to be an underestimate.
	If EU discussions lead to the labelling of 'organic wine' it may encourage producers to convert and further exploit this niche as part of the overall growth of the UK wine industry.

Public Opinion Research

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on commissioning public opinion research in each of the last five years.

Barry Gardiner: DEFRA's Communications Directorate commissions an annual public opinion survey on DEFRA and its policy areas. Surveys conducted since the Department's creation in 2001 are as follows:
	
		
			  Date  Cost () 
			 February 2002 42,000 
			 April 2004 14,950 
			 October 2005 26,000 
			 June 2006 51,500

REACH Regulations

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations his Department has received on the application of Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) regulations to  (a) trichloroethylene,  (b) chromium,  (c) nickel,  (d) beryllium,  (e) kevlar,  (f) cadmium,  (g) biocides used in the manufacture of high performance materials and  (h) other specialist substances; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Department has received a wide range of representations from industry, non-governmental organisations and the public on many aspects of REACH. However, since the formal adoption of the Council Common Position on REACH in June 2006, and during the subsequent course of the European Parliament's Second Reading process, I am not aware of any specific representations on the application of REACH to the substances and products listed by my hon. Friend.
	Trichloroethylene, chromium, nickel, and cadmium are strictly controlled by existing legislation, and REACH will take a similar approach. There is a separate regulatory regime for biocides under the EU Biocidal Products Directive (98/8/EC), and these substances will be regarded as already registered for the purposes of REACH.

Retirement Age

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 189-90W, on the retirement age, what his Department's policy is on the application of the national default retirement age to staff below the Senior Civil Service.

Barry Gardiner: With the new Age Legislation coming into force in October 2006, DEFRA no longer has a set retirement age for employees below the senior civil service.

Reuse Credits

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the payment of reuse credits by local authorities following the guidance issued to local authorities by his Department in April.

Ben Bradshaw: The Recycling Credits scheme was reformed through section 49 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 (CNEA). Changes to the Scheme increase the flexibility of payments from waste disposal authorities (WDAs) to waste collection authorities (WCAs) in two-tier areas by giving them the option to jointly agree alternative arrangements. These changes have been in effect since April 2006. The CNEA also clarified that recycling credits can be paid for reuse activity and that reuse should be treated in the same way as recycling for the purposes of the scheme.
	Local authorities (LAs) have the power to pay credits to third parties for the recycling and reuse activity they carry out. These payments are at the discretion of individual LAs so that they can take account of local circumstances. The Government introduced updated guidance in April this year, which gives greater encouragement to LAs to adopt good practice. The guidance strengthens the existing presumption that LAs will consider applications for credits from third parties which meet certain criteria and consider the social, environmental and economic benefits associated with community recycling.
	The guidance makes it clear that credit values should be the same for reuse as they are for recycling and disposal credits for third parties should be calculated on the same basis as credits for waste collection authorities.
	Guidance on the recycling credits scheme can be found on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/localauth/part_work.htm

Rural Community Councils

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to what date his Department is committed to fund rural community councils; what plans he has to fund rural community councils after this date; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Since 1 April 2005, my Department has committed in excess of 10 million in support of the 38 Rural Community Councils (RCCs) in England, as shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Amount () 
			 2005-06 3,334,000 
			 2006-07 3,384,000 
			 2007-08 3,481,000 
		
	
	In addition, RCCs benefit from grants and other funding for specific rural community development projects and activities.
	Current funding agreements with RCCs end on 31 March 2008. A decision on future funding will be made in the context of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007.

Single Farm Payments

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many 2005 single farm payments have been made for a sum less than 100; what estimate he has made of 2005 payments of less than 100 yet to be paid; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: As at 12 December 2006 the total number of payments made for the 2005 single farm payments scheme for less than 100 is 12,232. Of these, 12,179 were paid in full and 53 have been partially paid. There are 756 claims that are yet to receive either a partial or a full payment.

Single Farm Payments

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many 2005 single farm payments were made for a sum in excess of  (a) 300,000 and  (b) 1 million; who the recipients were of those awards; how much was received by each recipient; what estimate he has made of the number of 2005 payments of each size yet to be paid; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: As at 12 December 2006 the total number of payments made for the 2005 single payment scheme (SPS) in excess of 300,000 is 310, of which seven are in excess of 1 million. Of these, 300 have been paid in full and 10 have been partially paid.
	There are no claims of value 300,000 or more that are yet to receive either a partial or full payment.
	The figures produced are gross amounts and may differ when compared to the amount actually 'received' by the customer as some element of the payment may have been automatically 'intercepted' to pay off an outstanding debt.
	It is the Rural Payments Agency's (RPA) intention to publish on its website, shortly after the completion of 2005 SPS payments, details of amounts of SPS money paid to farmers and associated farm businesses. This follows the precedent set of publishing common agricultural policy payments for the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund for 2003-04 and 2004-05 over the last two years.
	Well-known delays in implementing year one of SPS have impacted on RPA's payment timetable, but once service has normalised, the intention is to publish details of non-SPS CAP payment details in the spring and SPS payment details in the autumn each year.
	A table showing the amount received by each recipient has been placed in the House Library.

Single Farm Payments

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Rural Payments Agency has established a separate team to process outstanding claims in respect of 2005-06 single farm payments.

Barry Gardiner: The Rural Payments Agency has a dedicated team of staff working on processing the remaining 2005 single payment scheme claims. The team is working hard to ensure that as many claims as possible are paid before the end of December.

Single Farm Payments

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 306-7W, on the Rural Payments Agency, what total amount of interest the Department has paid following late payments under the single payment scheme.

Barry Gardiner: In respect of the 2005 single payment scheme, the total amount of interest paid by the Rural Payments Agency by the end of November 2006 is 596,000.

Single Farm Payments

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of previously outstanding payments under the single farm payment scheme have been paid in full in North Yorkshire since 31 March 2005.

Barry Gardiner: As at 30 November 2006 the total value of Single Farm Payment Scheme payments made to customers in North Yorkshire amounted to 109,025,115.
	The value of payments yet to made amounts to 521,721.
	The payment value includes partial payments made.

Single Farm Payments

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which EU member states have been making  (a) partial and  (b) full single farm payments since 1 December; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Informal reports from the other 14 EU member states who are operating the 2006 single payment scheme suggest that all intend to begin making either full or partial payments during December 2006.

Single Farm Payments

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many claimants in England have received  (a) partial and  (b) full 2006 single farm payments since 1 December; what percentage this figure represents of total claimants; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: No 2006 single farm payments have been made.
	A total of 1,705 full 2005 single farm payments were made between 1 December and 12 December 2006 (inclusive). This figure represents 1.46 per cent. of 2005 total claimants paid between 1 December and 12 December 2006 (inclusive).

Tenant Farmers: Diversification

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors were taken into account in the decision to end the funding for the scheme set up to help tenant farmers to seek the means to diversify.

Barry Gardiner: The decision to end the adjudication scheme was not taken lightly. The Scheme supports the Code of Good Practice for agri-environment schemes and diversification projects within agricultural tenancies. It is administered by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and was set up in December last year, with the intention that it would continue for a period of four years. However, since its launch in December 2005, there has not been a single application for the Scheme.
	Given the current financial constraints within DEFRA, it would not have been a sensible use of public money to allocate funds for a further three years to a scheme in which there has been no interest. Therefore, we decided reluctantly that the Scheme should be closed at the end of 2006.
	The closure of the Scheme does not affect the validity of the Code of Good Practice, which stands in its own right and gives useful and informative advice to tenants and landlords contemplating diversification activities. The Code is available from the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/working/tenancies/pdf/trig-cogp.pdf.

Total Allowable Catch: Rockall

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much total allowable catch previously under UK jurisdiction is outside UK territorial waters following the cessation of sovereignty of Rockall.

Ben Bradshaw: There are over 200 fish stocks for which the EC Fisheries Council sets total allowable catches (TACs). Only one of those stocks, Clyde herring, is exclusively within the United Kingdom's (UK) fisheries limits (this is unchanged by the cessation of the sovereignty of Rockall). The others are in other sea areas as well as the UK's limits. For these stocks, no separate part of the total allowable catch is related exclusively to the UK waters involved. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the information requested.

Water Order 2001

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms are in place to ensure that money collected under the 2001 Water Order for maintenance of water and sewerage systems on park home sites is used for that purpose; and whether such funds are protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the park home site owner.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 18 December 2006,  Official Report, column 1438W.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Alcohol Sales

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with  (a) Ministerial colleagues in (i) the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, (ii) the Home Office and (iii) the Department of Health and  (b) supermarket chains on  (A) the pricing of bulk buys of alcohol and  (B) the effect of the sale of cheap alcohol.

Ian McCartney: In recent years, DTI Ministers and officials responsible for competition issues have given advice to the Home Office on the broader issue of the implications of competition law for any proposed measures designed to promote responsible drinking.

Association of South East Asian Nations

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the Association of South East Asian Nations' proposals for the creation of a single market for goods, services, capital and labour.

Ian McCartney: ASEAN's project to create a free trade area (AFTA) is a long-term goal. The 10 member countries of ASEAN(1) aim to achieve a single market by 2020. A key milestone is the achievement of a zero-tariff regime for all members by 2015. This would create a single market of 550 million people with a combined gross domestic product of US $1 trillion.
	The countries of the region have made progress to this goal. There has been strong growth in intra-region exports and imports and intra-ASEAN total trade as a percentage of ASEAN total trade is approximately 23 per cent.
	(1) Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam.

BAE Systems

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which BAE Systems arms export contracts worth over 1 million for which export licences have been approved since 1997; and what the  (a) country of destination,  (b) product approved and  (c) value of the contract was in each case.

Malcolm Wicks: Information on the Government's individual export licensing decisions is commercially confidential and I am therefore able neither to confirm nor deny that BAE Systems has been granted any export licences since 1997.
	The Government publish information on export licences granted by destination, including total value of Standard Individual Export Licences granted, in their Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls, available from the Libraries of the House. The Government also publish Quarterly Reports covering licensing and performance information on the Export Control Organisation website:
	www.dti.gov.uk/europeandtrade/strategic-export-control/

British Household Panel Survey

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what proportion of  (a) working age adults and  (b) pensioners were recorded by the British Household Panel Survey as having (i) zero disadvantages, (ii) one disadvantage, (iii) two disadvantages, (iv) three disadvantages, (v) four disadvantages, (vi) five disadvantages, (vii) six disadvantages, (viii) seven disadvantages, (ix) eight disadvantages, (x) nine disadvantages and (xi) 10 disadvantages in each year since 1991.

Malcolm Wicks: Estimates from the British Household Panel Survey (see Table 1) suggest that the proportion of working age adults that have none of the listed disadvantages has increased since 1991, from 29.2 per cent. to 45.3 per cent. in 2003. The proportion suffering from three, four, five or six or more of these disadvantages has been continuously falling. In 1991, 23.9 per cent. of the working age population suffered from three or more of the listed disadvantages, compared with 11.7 per cent. in 2003.
	Grossing these proportions up to population estimates, this suggests that the number of working age adults with none of the listed disadvantages has increased from 10.1 million in 1991 to 16.2 million in 2003. (Note however that these are estimates derived from a survey sample.) The number suffering three or more of these disadvantages has approximately halved from 8.3 million in 1991 to 4.1 million in 2003.
	
		
			  Table 1: Working age adults 
			  Number of disadvantages  1991  1993  1995  1997  2001  2003 
			 0 29.22 32.78 36.15 39.88 42.01 45.34 
			 1 28.28 28.41 28.54 28.02 30.36 28.69 
			 2 18.64 17.71 16.80 15.42 14.11 14.23 
			 3 10.96 10.20 9.06 8.25 7.07 6.49 
			 4 6.58 5.43 5.24 4.78 3.53 2.84 
			 5 3.52 3.22 2.66 2.19 1.67 1.81 
			 6 or more 2.80 2.25 1.55 1.46 1.25 0.60 
			 GB population (million) 34.5 34.6 34.9 34.7 35.4 35.8 
			  Estimated number with:   
			 0 disadvantages (million) 10.1 11.3 12.7 13.8 14.9 16.2 
			 1 disadvantage (million) 9.8 9.8 10.0 9.7 10.7 10.3 
			 2 disadvantages (million) 6.4 6.1 5.9 5.4 5.0 5.1 
			 3 disadvantages (million) 3.8 3.5 3.2 2.9 2.5 2.3 
			 4 disadvantages (million) 2.3 1.9 1.8 1.7 1.2 1.0 
			 5 disadvantages (million) 1.2 1.1 0.9 0.8 0.6 0.6 
			 6 or more disadvantages (million) 1.0 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.2 
			  Note: Estimates obtained by grossing weighted BHPS figures. Indicators of disadvantage are unemployment, living in workless household, having no educational qualifications, living in social housing, living in overcrowded conditions, having poor health, having poor mental health, living alone, consumer durable disadvantage, financial stress. Population estimates derived from Population Trends (various issues). 
		
	
	Estimates from the British Household Panel Survey (see Table 2) suggest that the proportion of pensioners who have none of the listed disadvantages has increased since 1991, from 5.2 per cent. to 16 per cent. in 2003. The proportion suffering from three, four, five or six or more of these disadvantages has been falling over the period. In 1991, 58.2 per cent. of the pension age population suffered from three or more of the listed disadvantages, compared with 38.8 per cent. in 2003.
	
		
			  Table 2: Pensioners 
			  Number of disadvantages  1991  1993  1995  1997  2001  2003 
			 0 5.2 7.8 9.3 11.0 13.0 16.0 
			 1 14.1 15.7 17.6 20.0 21.4 25.0 
			 2 22.5 22.4 20.6 20.1 21.8 20.2 
			 3 23.1 22.9 21.1 20.9 18.2 18.3 
			 4 20.1 17.3 17.6 16.2 14.3 12.1 
			 5 10.3 9.1 10.0 8.4 7.9 6.2 
			 6 or more 4.7 4.8 3.8 3.4 3.4 2.2 
			 GB population (million) 10.4 10.4 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 
			  Estimated number with:   
			 0 disadvantages (million) 0.5 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.7 
			 1 disadvantage (million) 1.5 1.6 1.8 2.1 2.3 2.7 
			 2 disadvantages (million) 2.3 2.3 2.1 2.1 2.3 2.2 
			 3 disadvantages (million) 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.2 1.9 2.0 
			 4 disadvantages (million) 2.1 1.8 1.8 1.7 1.5 1.3 
			 5 disadvantages (million) 1.1 0.9 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 
			 6 or more disadvantages (million) 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.2 
			  Note:  Estimates obtained by grossing weighted BHPS figures. Indicators of disadvantage are having no educational qualifications, living in social housing, living in overcrowded conditions, having poor health, having poor mental health, living alone, consumer durable disadvantage, financial stress. Population estimates derived from Population Trends (various issues).

Business Support

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was allocated to the support of UK business in 2005-06.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department and its agencies spent 381 million on Business Support in 2005-06. Expenditure on the main Business Support programmes was as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 Grant for Research and Development (GRD) 22.0 
			 Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) 13.1 
			 Knowledge Transfer Networks (KTN) 13.7 
			 Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) 24.5 
			 Small Firms Loan Guarantee (SFLG) 56.4 
			 Selective Finance for Investment in England (SFIE) 24.9 
			 Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) 6.0 
			 Business Performance Diagnostic (BPD)(1) 8.8 
			 Grant for Investigating an Innovative Idea (GIII) 1.6 
			 Sustainable Energy Capital Grants (Renewables) 42.0 
			 Legacy Schemes(2) 168.0 
			 Total Business Support 381.0 
			 (1) Includes expenditure on Support to Implement Best Business Practice (SIBBP), which is no longer available. (2) 'Legacy' refers to schemes that are now closed, including Access to Best Business Practice (ABBP), which was introduced as part of the Business Support Transformation Programme, but has subsequently been withdrawn.

Carbon-Free Energy

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research his Department has carried out into the feasibility of constructing a high-voltage direct current grid across the European region to enable the long distance transport of carbon-free energy.

Malcolm Wicks: While my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is aware that a number of academics, entrepreneurs and manufacturers have proposed an overarching European DC Supergrid as a means of connecting offshore wind farms in particular to existing AC power systems, no specific research on this concept has been carried out by the DTI.

Climate Change

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research projects related to the impact on climate change of energy have been funded by his Department in 2005-06; and at what cost.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department does not fund research projects relating to the impact on climate change of energy. The recently published Stern review provided an extensive analysis of the long-term impact on the climate of greenhouse gas emissions.
	The Department has funded research to estimate the costs of policies to reduce emissions through measures such as emissions trading and new technologies in the electricity generation sector.

Coal Industry Compensation

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 14W, on coal industry compensation, what the proposals were which his Department put to claimants' solicitors for the compensation of surface workers for exposure to dust which were rejected; on what date those proposals were put to the claimants' solicitors; and on what date they were rejected.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department tried to negotiate a settlement through a schemed approach based on the Claims Handling Agreement (CHA). The Department agreed with the Claimants Group (CG) on taking mixed workersthose who had worked both underground and on the surfaceinto the scheme. The Department offered that any surface worker in a dusty jobwith agreement on what these werecould go through the medical assessment for chronic bronchitis and temporary exacerbation of asthma which provides for low levels of compensation (on the lines of the tariffs now operating in the fast track scheme). And any surface worker with a pneumoconiosis reading (which the Department's claims handlers, Capita, took as a proxy for a marker of exposure to dust) could go through the full medical assessment and have access to higher levels of compensation for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
	This proposal was submitted to the CG on 17 July 2000. The CG rejected the Department's position in a counter proposal on October 2000.
	The CG was in favour of further joint studies and the House was informed in March 2001. As a result of these further studies and developments over the next four years, the Department's position is now that 'it cannot scheme compensation' to surface only workers for COPD.

Coal Industry Compensation

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 14W, on coal industry compensation, what steps his Department took in relation to the minute which had been submitted to Parliament on 10 July 2000 following receipt of the medical advice suggesting that surface workers exposed to dust should not be compensated.

Malcolm Wicks: Following receipt of the medical advice the Department sought to reach a negotiated settlement with claimants' solicitors. Negotiations continued until February 2003 when the Department submitted its final position.

Coal Industry Compensation

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 14W, on coal industry compensation, on what date his Department received medical advice that surface workers should not be compensated for exposure to dust; and on what date Ministers were informed of the receipt of that advice.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department received medical advice on 13 July 2000 and Ministers were informed of that advice on 16 July 2000.

Coal Industry Compensation

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 14W, to Question 107112, on coal industry compensation, what the evidence that had been collated at that time was.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department used the medical advice submitted in the original trial in deciding the liability owed to surface workers. The 'respirable' (as opposed to visible) dust levels recorded on the surface during the period of liability by the Institute of Occupational Medicine were such that there was very little likelihood of those even in the dustiest occupations on the surface developing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), even with a working lifetime's exposure, although surface dust might cause COPD in a few super-susceptible individuals.

Coal Industry Compensation

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 14W, on coal industry compensation, why the decision was taken to submit a minute to Parliament before the medical advice sought on 19 June 2000 had been received.

Malcolm Wicks: Treasury rules required that we had to put this minute to the House before Parliament rose for the summer recess in 2000 to allow us to open negotiations with the claimants' solicitors.

Coal Industry Compensation

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 14W, on coal industry compensation, on what date Ministers were informed that medical advice was being sought on compensation for miners for exposure to surface dust; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Ministers were informed on 5 June 2000 that medical advice was being sought on compensation for miners for exposure to surface dust.

Coal Industry Compensation

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 14W, on coal industry compensation, whether Ministers were given a written submission informing them that medical advice was being sought.

Malcolm Wicks: Yes.

Company Directors

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the length of disqualification was of each company director disqualified between April 2004 and February 2005  (a) by the courts and  (b) through the fast-track process introduced in 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The statistics for the year 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005 show the following:
	
		
			  Period of disqualification (years)  Number of directors 
			 1 to 5 832 
			 6 to 10 352 
			 11 to 15 56 
			 Total 1,240 
		
	
	Of the 1,240 disqualifications, 950 were by undertaking and 290 by court order.

Departmental Energy Policy

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he plans to make his Department carbon neutral.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The DTI is committed to the achievement of the new targets contained in the framework for sustainable development on the Government estate launched by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in June 2006. The DTI is working toward both reducing its carbon emissions and becoming carbon neutral.

Departmental Projects

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the 20 largest procurement projects initiated by his Department since May 1997 were; what the  (a) original budget,  (b) cost to date and  (c) consultancy fees were; and what the final cost was of each project which has been completed.

Jim Fitzpatrick: DTI financial records do not distinguish projects with significant procurement elements form other major projects. Accordingly the information required is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportional cost.

Departmental Staff

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the effective date is for annual pay awards to his Department's staff; and what the actual implementation date was in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 12 December 2006
	For each of the last five years, the effective date of the annual pay awards has been 1 August for all staff below the Senior Civil Service in Ranges 2 to 11 and Faststream. The effective date for SCS staff has been 1 April from 2002 to 2005. In 2006 the SCS pay award was paid in two stages with the first stage effective from 1 April and second effective from 1 November. The table below shows the actual months when the awards were implemented for each of the last five years.
	
		
			   Implemented 
			   Staff in ranges 2 to 11 and Faststream  SCS 
			 2006 December 2006 July and November 2006 
			 2005 August 2005 July 2005 
			 2004 August 2004 August 2004 
			 2003 November 2003 August 2003 
			 2002 August 2002 July 2002

Electricity Generation

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of electricity produced in the UK comes from  (a) wind,  (b) tidal,  (c) solar and  (d) biomass sources.

Malcolm Wicks: The latest available data are for the calendar year 2005 and are published in Table 7.4 of the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics, 2006 as follows:
	
		
			   Generation GWh  Percentage of UK electricity generation 
			 Wind 2,908 0.7 
			 Solar photovoltaics 8  
			 Hydro 4,961 1.2 
			 Landfill gas 4,290 1.1 
			 Sewage sludge digestion 400 0.1 
			 Municipal solid waste combustion 964 0.2 
			 Co-firing of biomass with fossil fuels 2,533 0.6 
			 Other biofuels 855 0.2 
			
			 Total generation from renewables 16,919 4.2 
			
			 Total UK electricity generation 400,525 100

Employment Tribunals

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employment tribunal cases are waiting to be heard; what the average waiting time is for cases to be heard; what the longest time is that a case has been waiting; how far ahead cases have been listed for hearing; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Tribunals Service does not hold electronically information to provide specific answers to the questions raised. However, the following can be provided:
	As of 31 October 2006, the employment tribunals had 143,289 live cases awaiting disposal. Of these 19,773 are single claims and 123,516 are cases that are part of a multiple.
	In the financial year 2005-06, 79 per cent. of employment tribunal cases had a first hearing within 26 weeks of the claim being received. The latest comparable figure for the current financial year, from 1 April 2006 to 31 October 2006, is 80 per cent.
	Employment tribunals aim to hear cases allocated to the short conciliation track in the 8th week after the claim has been sent to the respondent and claims allocated to the standard track in the 14th week.
	Employment tribunals have a number of cases received in 1994-95 that are still awaiting disposal all of which relate to pension access by part time workers.

Energy Efficiency

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  if the Government will assess the merits of mandating a minimum level of functionality for smart metering under  (a) the Energy End Use and ESCO Directive and  (b) future energy efficiency commitment schemes;
	(2)  whether the Government is considering using its forthcoming Energy White Paper to propose requiring the introduction of smart metering with a minimum level of functionality.

Alistair Darling: On 14 November 2006, the Government issued a consultation document, Energy Metering and Billing: Changing Customer Behaviour, which sought views on the proposals about metering and billing that were contained in the Energy Review, and also took forward the implementation of the Energy Services Directive. Interested parties may respond to this consultation by 6 February 2007. The Government will take responses on all aspects of metering and billing, including smart metering, into account before setting out its further views. The Government expects to begin a statutory consultation about the third phase of the Energy Efficiency Commitment, covering 2008-11, in spring 2007.

Energy Market

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent steps have been taken by  (a) his Department and  (b) Ofgem to promote an effective competitive energy market for small business consumers.

Malcolm Wicks: The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) is responsible for the regulation of gas and electricity supply, including the operation of the competitive market. I understand that the Chairman of Ofgem will write to the hon. Member about the information he has sought.

Energy Market

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what level of protection small businesses receive in the energy market; and what discussions he has had with Ofgem on the level of protection for small businesses in the energy market.

Malcolm Wicks: The level of regulatory protection in respect of gas and electricity broadly reflects that in general consumer law. Ministers discuss general regulatory approaches with Ofgem, but it is for Ofgem to decide whether the level of regulatory protection in any particular area is sufficient.

Energy Review

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research was commissioned by the Energy Review team on the siting options for nuclear power stations; and if he will place in the Library copies of such research.

Malcolm Wicks: As part of our analysis for the Energy Review we commissioned Jackson Consulting to undertake a high-level assessment of the suitability of the existing nuclear generating sites to support possible new power stations. The purpose of the report was to help us form a view on whether nuclear could play a role in the future generating mix. The study was not aimed at the potential siting of new plantthis will be for the private sector to decide, should they decide to bring forward proposals for new build.
	Subject to confirming our view that nuclear has a role to play alongside other low carbon options, in the Energy White Paper next year, we intend to carry out a strategic siting assessment. We will publish the preliminary technical assessment that we undertook for the Energy Review once this strategic assessment is finished. We believe that publishing it before the strategic assessment would prejudice that assessment.

Energy Review

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library a copy of the report commissioned by the Energy Review team from Ernst and Young.

Malcolm Wicks: Ernst and Young contributed to our work in the Energy Review on modelling, to provide estimates of the relative cost of electricity generation technologies under different scenarios, and assumptions to inform policy analysis. An overview of this work was included in the Energy Review report The Energy Challenge, published in July 2006 (annex B, pages 182-198). More detailed information is also available on the DTI website at:
	http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/review/models/page32771.html.
	Ernst and Young also prepared two informal papers for the Energy Review, one looking at the management and financing of long-term nuclear waste management, and the other covering the financing of decommissioning nuclear power stations. Redacted versions of these two papers will be available shortly.

Energy Supplies

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the  (a) total UK renewable energy supply and  (b) total UK energy supply is accounted for by (i) industrial wood, (ii) domestic wood, (iii) co-firing, (iv) waste combustion, (v) landfill gas, (vi) sewage gas and (vii) other biofuels; and if he will make a statement

Malcolm Wicks: The latest available data are for the calendar year 2005 and are published in Table 7.7 of the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics, 2006 as follows:
	
		
			   Renewable sources used (thousand tonnes of oil equivalent)  Percentage of UK renewable energy supply  Percentage of total UK primary energy demand 
			 Industrial wood 80.9 1.9 0.1 
			 Domestic wood 204.2 4.8 0.1 
			 Co-firing of biomass with fossil fuels 830.7 19.6 0.3 
			 Waste combustion 460.0 10.8 0.2 
			 Landfill gas 1,420.8 33.5 0.6 
			 Sewage gas 179.1 4.2 0.1 
			 Other biofuels 362.4 8.5 0.1 
			 Other renewable sources 704.4 16.7 0.3 
			 
			 Total energy supplied by renewables in terms of primary input 4,245.5 100 1.7 
			 
			 Total UK primary energy demand 246,884  100 
		
	
	The contribution of renewables to total UK primary energy demand has grown from 1.3 per cent. in 2003 to 1.5 per cent. in 2004 and 1.7 per cent. in 2006. Thermal renewable sources appear to make a larger contribution to energy supplied by renewables when measured in primary energy terms because, by definition, the primary inputs of non-thermal sources such as wind and hydro are equal to the electricity produced and there are thus no conversion losses.

Enterprise Insight

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time staff are employed by Enterprise Insight; and what the cost was of employing those staff in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06.

Margaret Hodge: Enterprise Insight employed 45 full-time and one part-time staff.
	Enterprise Insight's operating years for the periods referred to ran as follows:
	20041 January 2004 to 31 December 2004
	20051 January 2005 to 31 March 2006, a 15-month period during which Enterprise Insight made the transition from a December to a March year end.
	The cost of staff employed by Enterprise Insight from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004 was 545,344 and from 1 January 2005 to 31 March 2006 was 780,099.

Enterprise Week

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent by the Small Business Service on promoting Enterprise Week in  (a) 2004 and  (b) 2005.

Margaret Hodge: Enterprise Insight estimates that in publicising Enterprise Weeks 2004 and 2005 it spent 205,000 in 2004, and 254,000 in its accounting period 1 January 2005 to 31 March 2006.
	The Small Business Service did not incur any direct expenditure in promoting Enterprise Week 2004 or 2005.

Flood Defences

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry from which budget the building of maintenance of flood defences to protect nuclear power stations is met; what the cost of  (a) building and  (b) maintaining flood defences to protect nuclear power stations was in each year since 1990; how such costs are taken into account in assessment of the economic viability of nuclear power stations; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The building and maintenance of flood defences is the responsibility of the nuclear power station operators British Energy and Magnox Electric. The operators cover their own costs for both flood defences and coastal protection activities when the need arises.
	British Energy has incurred no costs in building flood defences at any of its eight nuclear station sites since 1990, as the need has not arisen. British Energy has maintained flood defences at the Sizewell and Dungeness sites as a planned and natural consequence of the decision to employ soft-shore flood defence strategies at the two sites.
	Magnox Electric has spent 20,000 on a minor flood protection project at Berkeley and estimates that it spent approximately 60,000 per year on beach feeding at Dungeness between 1990-2000, and 460,000 in total since then.
	It is for individual companies to consider how these costs, and future projected costs, affect the economic viability of their plant.

Fuel Poverty

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of people living in fuel poverty in  (a) Chelmsford local authority area and  (b) Essex in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 19 December 2006
	Fuel poverty statistics are available only at Government Office region level. Latest available figures are sourced from the 2004 English House Condition Survey and show that in 2004, 141,000 households in the east of England (6.1 per cent. of all households in the east of England) were in fuel poverty. This statistic cannot be broken down further. Figures for fuel poverty in the east of England in 2001, 2003 and 2004 are given in the table. Figures for other years are not available.
	
		
			  Households in fuel poverty 
			   Number 
			 2001 137,000 
			 2003 115,000 
			 2004 141,000 
		
	
	Small variations between years may be due to sampling variability, rather than underlying trends in the data.

Gas Cylinders

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he  (a) is taking and  (b) has taken to prevent the sale of second hand gas cylinders on internet auction sites; if he will bring forward regulations to restrict those sales; and what representations he has received on the sale of those cylinders on eBay.

Ian McCartney: The second hand sale of these products, including on internet auction sites, is governed by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, if the supply is made in the course of a commercial activity. The Regulations require that product supplied must be safe.
	It should be noted that the majority of refillable gas cylinders made available to consumers remain the property of the gas company that initially supplied them. Internet auction sites strictly forbid the sale of stolen property and fully support the police and other enforcement agencies in their efforts to recover stolen property.
	At this time I have received no other representations about this issue.

Gas Prices

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to encourage suppliers to pass reductions in wholesale gas prices on to domestic consumers.

Malcolm Wicks: Britain's gas market is regulated by Ofgem, the independent regulator, operating within a framework set by Government. The Government welcome the initiative taken by Ofgem in calling for reductions in wholesale prices to be passed on to domestic customers. The regulatory framework provides for Ofgem to fine companies up to 10 per cent. of annual worldwide turnover if it finds evidence of anti-competitive behaviour. Ofgem can also refer the market to the Competition Commission if it finds evidence that competition is not working.

Insolvency Act

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many  (a) arrests,  (b) charges and  (c) successful prosecutions under sections 216 and 217 of the Insolvency Act 1986 have been made in each year since that Act came into force.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table details the number of s.216 Insolvency Act Offences prosecuted and number of convictions obtained for each year since the Act came into force. S.217 of the Insolvency Act is not an offence provision and relates only to civil liability. The figures relate to years running from 1 April to 31 March; 1993-94 is the first year where prosecutions/convictions are recorded, and 2005-06 is the most recent annual figure available. None of the individuals prosecuted were arrested. DTI Investigation Officers do not have powers of arrest.
	
		
			  Number of offences 
			   Prosecutions  Convictions 
			 1993-94 10 5 
			 1994-95 1 0 
			 1995-96 10 10 
			 1996-97 48 35 
			 1997-98 38 28 
			 1998-99 36 28 
			 1999-2000 20 15 
			 2000-01 46 35 
			 2001-02 74 58 
			 2002-03 38 33 
			 2003-04 41 36 
			 2004-05 45 27 
			 2005-06 30 19

Insolvency Act

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in how many cases in each year since the entry into force of the Insolvency Act 1986 creditors have  (a) attempted to claim and  (b) successfully claimed remuneration under section 217 of that Act.

Ian McCartney: No statistics are maintained in relation to legal actions taken by creditors under section 217 of the Insolvency Act 1986, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is not a party to them.

Legal Advice

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent by the Department on external legal advice in each of the past five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Expenditure figures have been available centrally only since 2003. The DTI's spend on the provision of external legal advice since that time is as follows:
	
		
			   Amount () 
			 2003-04 307,906 
			 2004-05 1,897,959 
			 2005-06 5,479,237 
			 2006-07 1,881,656

National Consumer Council

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what occasions the National Consumer Council has challenged Government decisions in the courts since May 1997, in cases where all proceedings are complete.

Ian McCartney: There have not been any challenges.

National Consumer Council

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research projects have been undertaken by the National Consumer Council funded from the public purse since May 1997; and at what cost.

Ian McCartney: The National Consumer Council (NCC) consists of three Councils: the Scottish Consumer Council (SCC) based in Glasgow, the Welsh Consumer Council (WCC) based in Cardiff, and NCC London.
	A list of research projects has been placed in the Library of the House.
	The Department pays the NCC in the form of annual grant in aid as shown in the following table; this covers the vast majority of its costs and is not identified on a project-by-project basis.
	A comparable set of figures is not available owing to changes to accounting rules for non-departmental public bodies with cash-based allocations until 2002-03, and resource based allocations since then. The total budget includes both the resource/grant in aid from DTI and income from (in the past DTI and) other sources that is for specific projects. An example of the major sources is given for last year. Fuller information on sources and amounts involved is detailed in annual reports available in the Library of the House.
	Approximately 15 per cent. of NCC's grant in aid is allocated to SCC, then 11 per cent. to WCC, leaving 74 per cent. to be spent in London.
	
		
			   Resource budget ( million) (DTI DEL)  Cash budget ( million) (rounded to 000)  NCC total budget ( million) (rounded to 100,000) 
			 2006-07 3.528 (1)3.541  
			 2005-06 3.932 (2)3.779 (3)5.9 
			 2004-05 4.059 (2)4.039 5.0 
			 2003-04 3.565 (2)3.973 5.6 
			 2002-03  3.682 5.1 
			 2001-02  3.565 4.5 
			 2000-01  3.084 3.6 
			 1999-2000  2.587 3.3 
			 1998-99  2.366 3.0 
			 1997-98  2.425 3.2 
			 (1) Indicative (2) Cash supplied (3) For example included 897,000 from Scottish Executive and 45,000 from DEFRA

Nuclear Energy

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the minimum nuclear generating capacity is that his Department plans to have in place in  (a) 2010,  (b) 2015,  (c) 2020 and  (d) 2025.

Alistair Darling: holding answer 27 November 2006
	The Government's recent Energy Review concluded that new nuclear plant could be part of the future energy mix but it is not for Government to decide on exactly how much nuclear generating capacity there should be in the UK. Any new nuclear power stations would be proposed, developed, constructed and operated by the private sector.

Nuclear Power Facilities

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the height above sea level is of the nuclear power facility sites at  (a) Berkeley,  (b) Bradwell,  (c) Calder Hall,  (d) Capenhurst,  (e) Chapelcross,  (f) Dungeness A,  (g) Hinkley Point A,  (h) Hunterston A,  (i) LLW Repository,  (j) Oldbury,  (k) Sellafield,  (l) Sizewell A,  (m) Trawsfynydd and  (n) Wylfa; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The approximate height above sea level of the nuclear power facilities is as follows:
	
		
			   Metres above sea level 
			 Berkeley 10 
			 Bradwell 5.5 
			 Calder Hall 18 
			 Capenhurst 43 
			 Chapelcross 76 
			 Dungeness A 6 
			 Hinkley Point A 11 
			 Hunterston A 3 
			 LLW Repository 15 
			 Oldbury 10 
			 Sellafield 20 to 30 
			 Sizewell A 9 
			 Trawsfynydd 196 
			 Wylfa 12.5

Nuclear Power Facilities

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any of the reports commissioned from consultants as part of the Energy Review refer to the siting of new nuclear power stations.

Malcolm Wicks: As part of our analysis for the Energy Review we commissioned Jackson Consulting to undertake a high-level assessment of the suitability of the existing nuclear generating sites to support possible new power stations. The purpose of the report was to help us form a view on whether nuclear could play a role in the future generating mix. The study was not aimed at the potential siting of new plantthis will be for the private sector to decide, should it decide to bring forward proposals for new build.
	The report prepared for the Review by Morgan Stanley focused on the investment and market conditions under which new generating capacity of any technology might come forward. There were references to the availability of sites as part of this.
	There were no other reports that referred to the siting of new nuclear power stations.

Nuclear Power Facilities

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date his Department was informed of boiler tube cracking at British Energy power stations Hunterston B and Hinkley Point B.

Alistair Darling: holding answer 4 December 2006
	Boiler tube cracking is a recognised phenomenon at Hunterston B and Hinkley Point B. HSE's Nuclear Safety Directorate has monitored the situation since the early 1990s and BE disclosed the phenomenon in its recent re-listing prospectus. The Department was informed of the recent incidents of boiler tube cracking at these stations shortly before British Energy made its announcements to the market.

Nuclear Waste

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the safety implications of storing nuclear waste on-site during the operating lifetimes of  (a) existing and  (b) future nuclear power stations; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Darling: Responsibility for regulating the safety of radioactive waste storage on nuclear power stations sites rests with the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, which undertakes a rigorous regime of inspection and enforcement for all nuclear licensed sites and would make any such assessments. Waste storage at any new nuclear power plants would also be subject to NII's regulatory oversight.

Phoenix Companies

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many calls regarding phoenix companies have been received by his Department's enforcement hotline since February 2005; how many have been referred for investigation; and how many resulted in  (a) disqualification of a director and  (b) a successful criminal conviction.

Ian McCartney: It is likely that complaints regarding so called phoenix companies will be recorded as a complaint under section 216 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (reuse of a prohibited name after a certain type of insolvency). It is possible that section 216 may also apply to new businesses run by directors of other insolvent companies which have no connection with the activities of the previous businesses and consequently would not be considered to be phoenix companies. Section 216 applies to any director of an insolvent company, independently of any wrongdoing. The number of complaints received via the Hotline since February 2005 which relate specifically to section 216 is 10 and none have yet resulted in either disqualification or prosecution of a director.

Post Offices

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average population is of towns with a post office.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I understand that Post Office Ltd does not hold this type of information, because it is not required for operational purposes.
	Post office branches are classified as being in either a rural area (in a settlement under 10,000 population) or an urban area (settlements over 10,000 population); the latest figures show that there are 7,754 branches classified as rural and 6,509 branches classified as urban.

Postal Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his statement of 14 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 1026-28, on the post office network, how many post offices in  (a) Shropshire and  (b) Shrewsbury he expects to close.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government's proposals for the post office network are the subject of a public consultation which runs until 8 March 2007.
	Following the Government response to the national consultation, Post Office Ltd will draw up local area implementation plans within the framework of our final decision. Post Office Ltd will, after discussion with sub-postmasters, Postwatch and Members of Parliament, consult publicly on its proposals for closures and other changes in service provision for six weeks, providing the opportunity for local representations and suggestions.
	Decisions on how best to restructure the network will then be a matter for the company, ensuring that no one part of the network or no particular group of people is significantly more adversely affected than any other.

Postal Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the  (a) provision of benefits,  (b) payment of utility bills and  (c) sale of licences through post offices was worth to the Post Office (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of total revenue in each year between 1995 and 2006.

Jim Fitzpatrick: This is a commercially confidential matter for Royal Mail.

Postal Services

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which postal districts do not meet the criterion of having 95 per cent. of the population within six miles of a post office outlet.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I understand from Post Office Ltd that, of the 2,795 UK postcode districts, the following 38 do not meet the Government's proposed criterion for 95 per cent. of the population in postcode districts to be within six miles of a post office outlet:
	AB36
	AB37
	DD9
	DG10
	FK21
	IV13
	IV16
	IV23
	IV26
	IV27
	IV28
	IV4
	IV52
	IV53
	IV54
	IV63
	KW11
	KW12
	KW9
	ML12
	NE48
	PA22
	PA29
	PA42
	PA60
	PH10
	PH11
	PH16
	PH17
	PH18
	PH20
	PH21
	PH25
	PH31
	PH35
	PH49
	TD3
	TD7

Postal Services

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the definition is of remote areas as referred to in paragraph 5.2 of the consultation document on the future of the post office network.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There is no specific definition of 'remote' rural. The relevant access criteria will apply to all postcode districts except the 38 out of 2,795 that are currently outside its scope.
	The aim of using postcode districts as the basis for our proposed access criteria is to offer extra protection to remote areas, which would not be covered by Royal Mail's Universal Service Obligations, which are based on larger postcode areas.

Postal Services

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether community feedback was sought on the performance of post office outreach services piloted in the last 18 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Yes. This is reflected in Post Office Ltd's report on the pilot outreach services and in the company's subsequent monitoring of the effectiveness of, and levels of customer satisfaction with, the ongoing pilots.

Postal Services

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which post offices are under consideration for closure.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Post Office will develop specific proposals for post office closures and other changes to service provision after the national public consultation has ended and the Government have reached their final decisions on their future strategy for the post office network.

Postal Services

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Statement of 14 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 1026-8, on the post office network, what he expects the annual cost of a mobile post office outreach service to be.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Until Post Office Ltd has developed specific proposals for network restructuring and identified the most suitable form of Outreach Service for particular communities, it is not possible to estimate the annual cost of such services.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultation he has had with sub-postmasters regarding additional services that could be offered through their sub-post offices.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There have been numerous discussions with the National Federation of Sub Postmasters and with Post Office Ltd about the scope for introducing additional services through the post office network.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to allow sub-post offices to work with carriers other than the Royal Mail.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Any mail operators and online businesses wishing to use the post office network should approach Post Office Ltd. If a commercial agreement cannot be reached with Royal Mail/Post Office Ltd, they can refer the matter to Postcomm to consider.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding he will make available for mobile post offices in the next five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government's proposals for the future post office network include funding of up to 1.7 billion. The specific sum available for mobile post offices will depend on Post Office Ltd's detailed area proposals for service provision after the national public consultation has ended.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the population lives within three miles of a post office; and what that figure is in rural areas.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Post Office Ltd advises that nationally 99.8 per cent. of the population lives within three miles of a post office and that in rural areas 99 per cent. of the population lives within three miles of a post office.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the population lives within one mile of a post office; and what that figure is in  (a) urban areas and  (b) deprived urban areas.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Post Office Ltd advises that nationally 92.75 per cent. of the population lives within one mile of a post office, that in urban areas 99.17 per cent. of the population lives within one mile of a post office and that in deprived urban areas 99.8 per cent. of the population lives within one mile of a post office.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which organisations will be consulted in the consultation programme on post office closures.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In addition to those organisations listed as consultees in the national consultation document, we will welcome comments from any other organisations or individuals. In due course, Post Office Ltd will draw up detailed area proposals for closures or other changes in post office service provision on which there will be local consultation.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the  (a) average level and  (b) maximum amount of compensation in monetary terms of compensation for sub-postmasters who leave the post office network under the restructuring programme; and whether such compensation will be provided from the annual social network subsidy.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Until Post Office Ltd has fully developed its detailed area proposals for network restructuring, based on groupings of adjacent parliamentary constituencies, it is not possible to estimate either the average level or maximum amount of compensation which may be paid. Compensation for sub-postmasters leaving the network under the restructuring programme will not be funded from the annual social network payments.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry at what level the social network subsidy for the Post Office network will be maintained in each year to 2011.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The precise level of social network subsidy in each year to 2011 will be determined by a range of factors but is not expected to exceed the current annual sum of 150 million in any one year.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with local authorities on the delivery of additional council services through sub-post offices.

Jim Fitzpatrick: My right hon. Friend has had no specific discussions on the delivery of additional council services through post offices as these are essentially matters to be determined on a commercial basis between individual local authorities and Post Office Ltd.
	However, Post Office Ltd is having discussions with the Department for Communities and Local Government and with the Local Government Association to explore possible options for delivering additional council services.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the outcome has been of the pilot schemes for mobile post offices.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Post Office Ltd's report on the pilot schemes of innovative delivery channels for delivery of post office services, including mobile post offices, was published on 8 March 2006 and is available on their website.
	Post Office Ltd advises that of the 20 pilot sites, four operate mobile post offices, each serving between five and nine separate communities. Post Office Ltd continues to explore ways in which it can improve the mobile service. The overall response to the pilot schemes is favourable, with latest figures indicating that 93 per cent. of customers are satisfied with their Outreach service.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which main areas of expenditure account for the 1.7 billion financial package he has announced for the post office network.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The funding package will cover social network payments to 2011, the costs of the network restructuring programme, including compensation to sub-postmasters leaving the network under the programme and the expansion of Outreach services, and forecast losses of Post Office Ltd to 2011.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what public consultation process will be undertaken on the sub-post office closures proposed by the Royal Mail.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Post Office Ltd will undertake local public consultation on its proposals for post office closures and other changes in service provision based on groupings of adjacent parliamentary constituencies.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the proportion of the 2,500 sub-post office closures he has announced which will be in  (a) rural and  (b) urban areas.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Until Post Office Ltd has developed its specific proposals for network restructuring, including the introduction of Outreach service, it is premature to speculate how many post office closures will be in urban areas and how many in rural areas.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much will be invested in improving Crown post offices over the next five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Until Post Office Ltd has fully developed its proposals for improving Crown post offices it is too early to say.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of Crown post offices which will close in the next three years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: None. This is a commercial and operational decision for Post Office Ltd to bring the Crown office segment of the network back to profit, and I understand that the company is working closely with staff and unions to develop a strategy to deliver this.

Postal Services

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many sub-postmasters in Scotland have indicated that they wish to leave the network.

Jim Fitzpatrick: None. This will be a matter for Post Office Ltd to ascertain in the context of developing detailed network restructuring proposals in Scotland.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the likely effect of his Department's policy to reduce the number of sub-post offices on the Government's climate change objectives.

Jim Fitzpatrick: No specific assessment has been made, but the number of wholly additional or extended motor vehicle journeys is not expected to be great given the proposed access criteria which specifically address access to post offices in rural and remote areas.

Postal Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what regulations govern the flexibility of postal prices offered by  (a) the Royal Mail and  (b) sub-post offices.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Postcomm has responsibility for setting a price control for Royal Mail's licensed services. Within that framework, Royal Mail has the freedom to operate commercially and flexibly.

Public Opinion Research

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much his Department has spent on commissioning public opinion research in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department does not centrally collect the information sought and to provide it would entail disproportionate cost.

Public Sector Information

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Government intend to implement the recommendations made by the Office of Fair Trading in its market study on public sector information; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 18 December 2006
	The DTI is responsible for co-ordinating the preparation of the agreed Government response, and officials will liaise with other Government Departments with a relevant policy interest. Government are required to respond within 90 days of the OFT publication, producing a plan explaining how they will implement the recommendations, or if chosen any alternative solution. No action plan is required if no recommendations are accepted. When the OFT makes no regulatory changes, it is for Ministers to decide whether an action plan is appropriate.

Regional Development Agencies

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding was made available to each regional development agency by the  (a) Department for Education and Skills,  (b) Department for Culture, Media and Sport,  (c) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,  (d) Department of Health,  (e) Home Office,  (f) Department for Transport,  (g) Department for Work and Pensions and  (h) Department for Communities and Local Government in each year from 2001-02 to 2005-06; and what funding has been allocated for 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Margaret Hodge: The following tables show the funding made available to the Regional Development Agencies from the Government Departments that contribute to the Single Pot, and the allocations made to the Regional Development Agencies for 2006-07 and 2007-08.
	
		
			  Single Pot contributions 2001-02 to 2005-06 
			   million 
			  Government Department  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Department of Trade and Industry 71 160 179 234 595 
			 Department for Communities and Local Government (formerly Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) 1,196 1,369 1,552 1,511 1,492 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 80 42 41 46 77 
			 Department for Education and Skills 57 42 42 42 43 
			 UK Trade and Investment 12 12 12 13 15 
			 Department for Culture Media and Sport 0 0 0 2 4 
		
	
	The Department of Health, the Home Office, the Department for Transport and the Department for Work and Pensions do not contribute to the RDA's core grant (the Single Pot).
	
		
			  RDA allocations for 2006-07 and 2007-08 
			million 
			   Regional Development Agencies 
			 2006-07 2,319 
			 2007-08 2,309

Regulation (EC) No. 2006/2004

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information is  (a) exchanged,  (b) stored and  (c) passed on to non-EU countries in connection with Regulation (EC) No. 2006/2004; what right of access individuals have to data on themselves so held; which agencies are expected to seek access to such data; what the aim is of the legislation; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: The aim of Regulation (EC) No. 2006/2004 is to formalise and improve co-operation arrangements between member states' consumer enforcement authorities, in order to better combat cross-border frauds and scams. Its focus is on practices that affect the collective interest of consumers, rather than complaints affecting only individuals, and its scope is limited to the 15 pieces of EC consumer protection legislation named in the annex to the regulation.
	Basic details of alleged infringements such as business names and details of the complaint will be transmitted from one country's Single Liaison Office to another's and then on to the relevant enforcer by means of a secure database.
	Access to the database is limited to enforcers designated as competent authorities and national Single Liaison Offices (in the UK, the Office of Fair Trading). Single Liaison Offices will only have access to information relating to requests for mutual assistance which have not been given confidential treatment. Non-EU countries do not have access to the database. The regulation does anticipate entering into arrangements with third (that is, non-EU) countries but none are in place at present, and any future arrangements should have appropriate safeguards.
	Data held on the database will be subject to the provisions and protections of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). While the regulation requires us to prevent the subject access provisions of the DPA from being used by business to obstruct the proper functioning of the regulation, we are satisfied that this fact should not cause problems in practice because appropriate safeguards have been built in.

Research Projects

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the 20 largest by value projects were funded through the research councils in 2005-06.

Malcolm Wicks: The following table provides details of the 20 largest items by expenditure by the UK Research Councils in the financial year 2005-06.
	
		
			   million 
			   Expenditure in 2005-06 
			 European Space Agency 101.9 
			 CERN 79.1 
			 Diamond Light Source 74.0 
			 British Antarctic Survey 44.9 
			 ISIS Target Station 2 42,4 
			 ISIS Operations 35.6 
			 MRC National Institute for Medical Research 33.6 
			 Subscription for European Southern Observatory 32.9 
			 MRC National Institute for Medical Research: Purchase of Land 28.0 
			 Synchrotron Radiation Source Main Facility 27.7 
			 British Geological Survey 27.5 
			 Centre for Ecology and Hydrology 22.6 
			 MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology 20.9 
			 Fusion 20.6 
			 James Cook Research Vessel 15.9 
			 International SubscriptionsInstitut Laue Langevin 15.2 
			 MRC Clinical Science Centre 14.7 
			 MRC Laboratorie, The Gambia 9.6 
			 MRC Human Genetics Unit 8.7 
			 High Performance Computing 8.2

River Severn: Power Generation

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department will assess the feasibility of power generation projects using hydroelectric plants on  (a) existing and  (b) new build weirs on the River Severn; and if he will assess the compatibility of any such projects with the river's flood defences.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has no plans to commission a study to assess the feasibility of hydroelectric generation on the River Severn, using either existing or new weirs.

Royal Mail: Industrial Action

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with Royal Mail's  (a) management and  (b) trade unions on industrial action in Stafford and North Staffordshire.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Royal Mail management has responsibility to resolve industrial disputes in the company.
	The DTI is kept informed of cases of industrial action where there is significant disruption of postal services. I have been updated by the company about this specific dispute and the action being taken to mitigate the impact on consumers in Stafford and North Staffordshire. I encourage both the Royal Mail management and the unions to work together to resolve this dispute through negotiation.

Rural Areas

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what programmes of support his Department makes available to rural areas; and what the financial cost is expected to be in 2007-08.

Margaret Hodge: The Government are committed to building a strong economy and fair society where there is opportunity and security for all. This commitment applies equally in rural and urban areas. All the Department's business support products are available in both rural and urban areas. However, to provide information on the cost of these programmes in rural areas alone is only possible at disproportionate cost.

Scientific Publications Market

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has sent a response to the European Commission on its study on the economic and technical evolution of the scientific publications market in Europe.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The DTI has not submitted a formal response to the European Commission on this study. DTI officials held a seminar with the authors of the report and with representation from the European Commission in June 2006 to give the UK scientific communications community the opportunity to express their views on the report. The DTI has informally discussed the report with relevant Commission officials.

Supermarkets

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the Supermarkets Code of Practice is being monitored; and what action his Department has taken to ensure that it is implemented effectively.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 19 December 2006
	Competition in the grocery sector is a matter for the independent competition authorities and not the DTI. Ministers no longer have a role in this area.
	The Supermarket Code of Practice remains in force, monitored by the OFT. The Competition Commission is able to recommend changes to the Supermarkets Code as part of its wider inquiry into the grocery market should it be deemed necessary.

Supermarkets

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment his Department has made of the likely impact of below-cost selling by supermarkets on the future of market choice for consumers.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 19 December 2006
	Competition in the grocery sector is a matter for the independent competition authorities and not the DTI. The Office of Fair Trading identified below-cost selling as an issue that could distort competition when it referred the grocery market to the Competition Commission for a market inquiry.
	It is for the Competition Commission to make an assessment and decide if any action is necessary.

Tech Stars Steering Committee

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date Sir Ronald Cohen was appointed to his Department's Tech Stars Steering Committee; and what  (a) salary and  (b) expenses he has been paid since his appointment.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Tech Stars Steering Committee was set up in December 1997. It completed its task in August 2001. The Committee members were all unpaid. Reasonable expenses would have been reimbursed, but details of payments are no longer available.

Televisions: Disposal

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with television manufacturers on the environmentally safe disposal of redundant analogue television sets; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Televisions disposed of following digital switchover will be subject to regulations implementing the EU Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) Directive, which requires producers, or those acting on their behalf, to set up systems for treatment, recovery and environmentally sound disposal of WEEE. The implementing regulationsThe Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2006were laid before the House on 12 December following extensive consultation with business, including a number of television manufacturers.

UK Competitiveness Committee

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date Sir Ronald Cohen was appointed to his Department's UK Competitiveness Committee; and what  (a) salary and  (b) total expenses he has been paid since his appointment.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The UK Competitiveness Committee was established in November 1997. It completed its task in November 1998. The Committee members were all unpaid. Reasonable expenses would have been reimbursed, but details of payments are no longer available.

Union Modernisation Fund

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will assess the (a) value for money and (b) efficacy of the use of grants given under the Union Modernisation Fund in March 2006 to (i) Amicus, (ii) the Communications Workers Union, (iii) Prospect, (iv) GMB, (v) the Wales Trades Union Congress, (vi) Community, (vii) the Transport and General Workers Union, (viii) Connect and (ix) the National Union of Teachers; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) on 19 December 2006,  Official Report, column 1908W.

World Trade Organisation

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 30 November 2006,  Official Report, column 815W, on the World Trade Organisation, whether he supports the reform of the World Trade Organisation.

Ian McCartney: The Government remain fully committed to securing an ambitious, pro-development outcome to the Doha Development Agenda, and it would therefore be premature to open a debate on reform of the WTO at this time.

Written Questions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many parliamentary written questions his Department received in each parliamentary session since 2001; and how many of these questions  (a) were not answered because of disproportionate cost,  (b) were not answered,  (c) received answers referring back to a previous answer (i) asked by the hon. Member and (ii) asked by another hon. Member and  (d) were grouped together for answer.

Jim Fitzpatrick: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

WALES

Carbon Neutrality

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his answer of 7 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 578-79W, on carbon neutrality, how much his Department expects to contribute to the Carbon Offsetting Fund in the next financial year.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office currently expects to contribute around 30 to the Carbon Offsetting Fund for Ministerial Air Travel in the next financial year.

EU Foreign Ministers Meeting

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with  (a) the Home Secretary and  (b) Gwent Police Authority on the costs of providing security for the meeting of European Union Foreign Ministers in Newport.

Peter Hain: I understand that Gwent police will receive a special revenue grant for 2.67 million towards expenditure incurred in policing this event. Such grants are funded from a specific budget, top-sliced from the police funding settlement. In 2006-07 this budget stands at 10 million. All bids are considered on an individual case basis and approval is at the discretion of Home Office Ministers.

HM Revenue and Customs

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to meet the Chancellor of the Exchequer to discuss the closure of the HM Revenue and Customs office in South Wales.

Peter Hain: My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State wrote in November to the Paymaster General about the HM Revenue and Customs Change programme. He will also be meeting the Paymaster General in January to discuss the programme further.

Manufacturing

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government about supporting manufacturing in south-east Wales.

Peter Hain: I have regular discussions with Welsh Assembly Government colleagues on a range of issues, including those affecting the manufacturing industry in Wales.
	We are committed to maintaining a strong manufacturing sector through the development of high-value manufacturing jobs. The Government's enterprise agenda to promote growth and employment is directly benefiting manufacturers, such as through the introduction of the RD tax credit. In addition, the Welsh Assembly Government offered 79 RSA grants totalling 43 million to manufacturing firms in Wales in 2005-06, safeguarding and creating almost 5,000 jobs.

Nuclear Power

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he plans to meet the Welsh Assembly Government to discuss the role of civil nuclear power in the energy mix for Wales.

Peter Hain: While energy policy is a non-devolved matter, I have discussed the role of nuclear power with the Welsh Assembly Government on a number of occasions, both before and after the publication of the recent Energy Review. The Government will set out further details of their proposals when the energy White Paper is published later this year.

Parliamentary Questions

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many written parliamentary questions to his Department in the 2005-06 session were answered with a reply that it had not been possible to reply before prorogation, or similar wording.

Peter Hain: None.

Pre-legislative Scrutiny

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Leader of the House on pre-legislative scrutiny for measures introduced under the Government of Wales Act 2006.

Peter Hain: Pre-legislative scrutiny by the Welsh Affairs Committee has played a crucial role in improving the scrutiny that Wales-only Bills have received in Parliament.
	We made a number of commitments, during the passage of the Government of Wales Act and subsequently, that there would be pre-legislative scrutiny of the proposed Orders in Council. The Welsh Affairs Committee is currently considering how best to take this forward.
	The overall time allocated for pre-scrutiny of a proposed Order will enable the Government to consider and respond to any recommendations that the Welsh Affairs Committee might make during the course of its pre-scrutiny.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Sexual Orientation Discrimination

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what exemptions are planned to proposals to outlaw sexual orientation discrimination in the provision of goods and services.

Meg Munn: The Government published a consultation paper in March setting out proposals for regulations that will prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in the provision of goods and services. The Government will publish a Response to consultation after the Christmas recess in good time for the laying of the regulations to come into force next April, alongside Part 2 of the Equality Act outlawing discrimination on grounds of religion or belief in the provision of goods and services.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Parliamentary Questions

Theresa May: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, how many written parliamentary questions to the Church Commissioners in the 2005-06 session were not answered wholly or in part on grounds of disproportionate cost.

Stuart Bell: One. On 5 December 2005,  Official Report, column 906W, I said that the question with the reference number 33411, tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Vauxhall (Kate Hoey), could not be answered on grounds of disproportionate cost.

Parliamentary Questions

Theresa May: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many written parliamentary questions to the Church Commissioners in the 2005-06 session were answered with a reply that it had not been possible to reply before prorogation, or similar wording.

Stuart Bell: None.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Al-Yamamah Programme

Phil Willis: To ask the Solicitor-General when investigating officers of the Serious Fraud Office gained access to the details of Swiss bank accounts of those they were investigating in relation to the Al-Yamamah programme in Saudi Arabia.

Mike O'Brien: I am told they have not done so.

Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs

Gordon Banks: To ask the Solicitor-General in how many cases since 2000 HM Revenue and Customs and its predecessor body sought to recover costs from defendants in cases revolving around clarification of points of law.

Mike O'Brien: The Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) does not collate statistics that record costs sought from defendants in cases revolving around clarification of 'points of law'. Gathering the information could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.

DEFENCE

Christmas Travel

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence further to the letter of 2 October 2006 to Wing Commander Conway from the hon. Member for North East Milton Keynes, what improvements have been made to the air bridge from  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq to avoid delays for troops travelling home over the Christmas period.

Adam Ingram: The safe and expeditious recovery of our forces returning from operational theatres is a high priority. Troop movement is generally working well and between April and December 2006, 80 per cent. of RAF operational passenger air transport flights were on time or delayed by less than three hours. For Iraq this figure was 86 per cent. and for Afghanistan it was 75 per cent. Recent improvements to the Afghanistan air-bridge include refurbishment of the runway at Kandahar Airfield, which was completed in November 2006. This now allows troops to fly from an airport closer to the majority of deployed locations, reducing in-theatre journeys by up to 24 hours.

Complaints

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) formal complaints,  (b) complaints through iSupport or the inquiry centre and  (c) formal grievances have been made by Royal Navy personnel since the roll out of Joint Personnel Administration to the Royal Navy.

Derek Twigg: Since the roll out of Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) to the Royal Navy there have been one formal complaint, five complaints via the internal complaints procedure and no formal grievances relating to JPA.

Complaints

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints from RAF personnel the Armed Forces Joint Personnel Administration Agency's internal complaints system has received about mispayment under the system in each month since March 2006; and how many  (a) are still outstanding and  (b) have been resolved since September.

Derek Twigg: As at 15 December 2006 725 complaints had been received from RAF personnel via the centralised JPA complaints process about mispayments and other apparent problems with pay, or the handling of queries. Of these 675 have been resolved and 50 remain outstanding. The following table shows the month on month position since March 2006:
	
		
			  Month  Received  Outstanding  Resolved 
			 April(1) 28 0 28 
			 May 49 0 49 
			 June 121 1 120 
			 July 142 0 142 
			 August 81 1 80 
			 September 114 3 111 
			 October 67 3 64 
			 November 95 19 76 
			 December 28 23 5 
			 Total 725 50 675 
			 (1) The figure for April includes pre April cases.

Faslane

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the main skill groups are of civilian personnel employed at  (a) Faslane naval base and  (b) RNAD Coulport; and how many are employed in each of these skill groups.

Adam Ingram: Individual defence installations do not routinely publish personnel data, as different organisations and agencies are responsible for the same location or site. Figures for the posted location of Ministry of Defence civilian personnel are regularly produced at local authority level, using centrally held data. Estimates below this level are not routinely produced.
	Ministry of Defence civilian personnel are grouped into job families by broad skill sets and our best estimate of the numbers employed in those job families at HM Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde's Faslane and RNAD Coulport sites is shown as follows, in full-time equivalent terms.
	These figures do not include the workforce of Babcock Naval Services, the commercial partner of HMNB Clyde, which employs additional civilian personnel spread across both sites. Estimates provided by Babcock Naval Services put the total of these personnel at around 1,430.
	
		
			   Faslane  Coulport 
			 Business Management and Improvement 20 10 
			 Communications and Media 10  
			 Commercial 10  
			 Corporate Support 90 30 
			 Engineering and Science 100 110 
			 Estates 20  
			 Health Professionals 10  
			 Human Resources 20  
			 Information 40 * 
			 Logistics 100 40 
			 Procurement *  
			 Programme and Project Management 60 10 
			 Resource Management 20  
			 Security, Health and Safety 570 480 
			 Training and Education 20  
			 Other * * 
			 Total 1,080 670 
			  Notes: 1. Full-time Equivalency totals that take account of the hours worked by each part-time employee, and will not be consistent with a headcount. 2. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10, with figures of 5 or below denoted by *. 3. Due to the rounding methods used, totals may not always equal the sum of the parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Nuclear Weapons

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the availability of the skills necessary in the UK to enable the construction of submarines for the Trident project.

Des Browne: Such an assessment was set out in Section B of the White Paper Defence Industrial Strategy (Cm 6697), published in December 2005, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The Ministry of Defence also participated fully in the House of Commons Defence Committee's recent investigation of the Manufacturing and Skills Base. Its report The Future of the UK's Strategic Nuclear Deterrent: the Manufacturing and Skills Base (HC 59) was published on 19 December.

Parachute Training

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of military parachute training.

Adam Ingram: As part of the Department's present planning round, we are examining a range of proposals for the defence programme, both to enhance investment in certain areas and to reduce investment in areas of lower priority. Ministerial decisions on the forward defence programme will be taken in the first quarter of 2007 and appropriate announcements will be made in that timeframe.

School Cadet Forces

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by Sir Ian Russell on raising funds for cadet forces in schools; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	In June 2006, the Government announced funding for the creation of six new state school cadet units. The new units will be set up for three-year pilot periods and will receive initial funding of 800,000 in 2007-08. The pilot expansion of cadet forces will be funded by Government, with a view to consideration of continued expansion of the cadet forces in future years.
	When v, the national youth volunteering organisation, was launched in May, Sir Ian Russell stepped down as the interim chair of the organisation established to take forward the recommendations of the Russell commission report on youth action and engagement. Sir Ian Russell is therefore no longer involved in fundraising from the private sector to support youth action.

Stores Management

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many IT systems are used for the management of stores in the armed forces;
	(2)  what plans he has to integrate the different IT systems for the management of stores in the armed forces.

Adam Ingram: The effective management of stores involves the assimilation of considerable quantities of information from a wide variety of sources. The MOD currently operates six major supply systems, seven major inventory systems and six major warehousing systems. Currently there is considerable integration within the single services and some integration across the services.
	In the light of experience during operations in Iraq in 2003, the Support Chain Programme was established to modernise and make significant improvements in the integration of the different information systems used for the management of stores, to drive forward change in logistic and engineering information systems and to provide a robust governance framework for the management of new projects and existing systems.
	The programme is focusing initially on delivering improved operational capability to the front line, with major changes to base systems following on later.
	Under the Support Chain Programme the six major supply systems are due to be reduced to one over the next few years. Work is also in hand to achieve similar reductions in inventory and warehousing systems. The programme will integrate both legacy and future information systems to retain coherence. To assist this, work is also under way to modernise the means by which applications are able to communicate with one another, with modern technology allowing for the creation of more flexible and intelligent networks. The ultimate aim is to move to a position where MOD is operating a fully integrated stores management system working right across defence, including industry.

Sudan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received on the recent visit of the US Special Envoy to Darfur; and what reports he has received of the recent meeting between the Special Envoy and the Secretary General of NATO.

Ian McCartney: I have been asked to reply.
	The US Special Representative for Sudan, Andrew Natsios, visited Sudan from 9 to 14 December. He pressed the Sudanese Government to accept the UN support for the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) that had been agreed at the high-level meeting in Addis Ababa on 16 November. He also urged them not to obstruct the work of the Ceasefire Commission in Darfur, and to resolve their problems with Chad.
	Natsios also visited Malakal in south Sudan. He was prevented from visiting Darfur because of instability there.
	Natsios met representatives of the EU and NATO in Brussels immediately following his visit to Sudan. These meetings focused on the situation on the ground and options for further international involvement.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Bank Charges

James McGovern: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the draft Compensation (Regulated Claims Management Services) Order 2006 will apply to websites that provide free help, support and legal advice for people seeking to claim back what they consider to be excess bank charges.

Bridget Prentice: No. The regulation of claims management services is provided for by Part 2 of the Compensation Act 2006. The Compensation (Regulated Claims Management Services) Order 2006 is aimed at those persons that provide such services on a commercial basis. There are a growing number of firms that for a fee offer to handle consumers' complaints against bank charges. It is these firms which will now be required to obtain authorisation under the Act in order to continue to provide regulated claims management services.

Compensation Payments

John Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much in compensation payments was paid by her Department in 2005-06; and what the reason for the payment was in each case.

Bridget Prentice: In 2005-06, the Department for Constitutional Affairs paid out 472,934 in compensation. This total comprises 313,654 for full or part payments for personal injury claims made against the Department, but is also inclusive of any cost payments made. To determine the breakdown of compensation and costs would result in disproportionate cost, and as such a total figure paid out has been provided.
	The balance of 159,280 was paid out in compensation by the Department for employment tribunal settlements, either pre or post hearing. Payments were made in compensation for three claims of unfair dismissal: two for cases of sexual harassment; three for unauthorised deductions from salary; three for constructive dismissal and one for race discrimination.

Damages

David Kidney: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  if she will take steps to implement the recommendations of Law Commission Report number 247 on aggravated, exemplary and restitutional damages;
	(2)  if she will take steps to implement the recommendations of Law Commission Report number 262 on damages for medical, nursing and other expenses;
	(3)  if she will take steps to implement the recommendations of Law Commission Report number 249 on liability for psychiatric illness.

Bridget Prentice: The Government are considering the recommendations of Law Commission Report number 262 on Damages for Personal Injury: Medical, Nursing and Other Expenses; Collateral Benefits, Law Commission Report number 247 on Aggravated, Exemplary and Restitutionary Damages, and Law Commission Report number 249 on Liability for Psychiatric Illness, and intend to publish a consultation paper by the end of January 2007.

Damages

David Kidney: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will take steps to implement the recommendations of Law Commission Report number 257 on raising the levels of damages for personal injuries.

Bridget Prentice: The Law Commission published its report on Damages for Personal Injury: Non-Pecuniary Loss, which considers raising the levels of damages for personal injuries, in April 1999. In November 1999 the Government indicated that this was an area of the law which was in the courts' independent sphere, and where it had no plans to legislate. That remains the case.

Departmental Equipment

Mark Francois: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many of her Department's  (a) computers and  (b) laptops were stolen in each of the last nine years; and what the total value was of stolen computers and laptops in this period.

Bridget Prentice: The number of computers and laptops stolen during the last nine years is as follows:
	
		
			   Computers  Laptops 
			 1998 4 4 
			 1999 0 4 
			 2000 0 3 
			 2001 6 12 
			 2002 10 16 
			 2003 4 6 
			 2004 21 25 
			 2005 5 18 
			 2006 1 22 
		
	
	Information on the value of the losses is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Freedom of Information Act Fees

Michael Wills: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  whether a regulatory impact assessment will be carried out on the proposed changes to regulations on Freedom of Information request fees;
	(2)  when she will publish draft regulations setting out the proposed changes to Freedom of Information Act fees;
	(3)  how many responses from  (a) individuals,  (b) organisations and  (c) public authorities her Department has received on its proposals to issue new Freedom of Information Act fees regulations; and which (i) organisations and (ii) authorities have responded.

Bridget Prentice: A consultation document on the proposed changes to the Freedom of Information Act fees Regulations was published on 14 December 2006. Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	In line with the consultation code of practice set out by the Cabinet Office, we will be publishing a list of responses to the document at the end of the consultation period. The consultation document includes a partial regulatory impact assessment.
	The consultation document also includes the draft regulations which would give effect to the changes. The consultation will end on 8 March 2007.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many information technology projects within the responsibility of her Department, its agencies and their predecessors have been cancelled since 1997; what the total cost was of each project at cancellation; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: In common with any large organisation, my Department has a range of IT-based change projects supporting the Department's strategic business programmes. These programmes are delivered through separate contracts. No contracts for information technology projects within these programmes have been cancelled since 1997.

Legal Aid

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what representations she has received on proposals to reintroduce means testing for legal aid in magistrates court.

Vera Baird: Since 2 October my Department has received approximately 20 letters from MPs on behalf of solicitors and an additional 33 direct from solicitors. There is abundant support for means testing in principle, and the majority of correspondents have raised practical concerns about the operation of the test. Many of these concerns have already been addressed in changes I announced before Christmas, and implementation is being kept under review.

Legal Aid

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will commission research to show the  (a) mean,  (b) median,  (c) mode and  (d) largest legal aid payments made in the last year for which figures are available.

Vera Baird: The size of any individual payment is not informative. Individual payments tend to cover parts of cases or multiple cases.
	However, the Legal Services Commission keeps data on the costs of all types of acts of assistance from which the statistical averages and largest amounts paid may readily be extracted. A research project is therefore not necessary.

Legal Aid

John Spellar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was paid in legal aid to Leigh Day and Co. in each of the last five years.

Vera Baird: The information is in the process of being extracted. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.

MMR and MR: Litigation Costs

John Baron: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2006,  Official Report, column 604W, on MMR/MR (litigation costs), when she expects to be in a position to write to the hon. Member for Billericay with the information requested.

Vera Baird: The information requested was sent to the hon. Member for Billericay in my letter of 19 December 2006, a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what target her Department has for the maximum acceptable amount of time to answer parliamentary written questions; and what percentage of parliamentary answers met that target in each parliamentary session since 2001.

Vera Baird: It is my Department's aim to answer all parliamentary questions within the timescales specified by Parliament: named day questions on the day named, and ordinary written questions within a working week.
	During the 2004-05 session, 70 per cent. of parliamentary answers met the parliamentary deadlines. During the 2005-06 session, 60 per cent. of parliamentary answers met the parliamentary deadlines. Information relating to parliamentary sessions before 2004-05 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. This information is available on the public record.

Public Liability Insurance

David Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will change the rules on eligibility to legal aid for a plaintiff in cases where a public liability insurance policy  (a) cannot be found and  (b) does not exist.

Vera Baird: I have no plans to change legal aid eligibility in this respect at present. The assessment for eligibility already takes account both of the claimant's means and of his prospects of success in his claim, including the likelihood of the defendant being able to satisfy an order for damages. The existence or otherwise of a public liability insurance policy can affect these prospects.

Public Opinion Research

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much her Department has spent on commissioning public opinion research in each of the last five years.

Vera Baird: The information requested is not held centrally, and to collect it for five years would present a disproportionate cost. However, the information for the financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06 is as follows.
	The DCA spent approximately 1,339,000 (VAT inclusive) on public opinion research contracts during 2005-06, and 1,344,000 in 2004-05.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Collusion Allegations

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of allegations of collusion between the RUC and Loyalist paramilitaries in bombings at  (a) Dundalk in 1975 and  (b) Castleblayney in 1976.

Peter Hain: The Government have consistently made clear that they take any allegations of collusion very seriously, is committed to seeing that the truth emerges in all cases, that wrongdoers are punished and that we fully understand the Irish Government's position on this. It is the Government's position that criminal investigations led by the police generally represent the best way of achieving this.

Compensation Payments

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was paid by the Northern Ireland Compensation Agency to people who had been convicted of paramilitary activity in 2005-06; and to whom awards were made.

David Hanson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Compensation Agency to reply to the hon. Member directly and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.

Compensation Payments

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was paid in compensation payments by his Department in 2005-06; and what the reason was for each payment.

Peter Hain: The information in the table refers to all compensation payments made by the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), excluding its Agencies and non-departmental public bodies, in the financial year 2005-06.
	
		
			  Amount of damages paid out by NIO ()  Date compensation was awarded 
			 30,000 July 2005 
			 6,000 October 2005 
		
	
	As there were only two cases during 2005-06, the reason for payment is suppressed on grounds of confidentiality, as it would make the individuals receiving the payment identifiable.

Consultation Exercises

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many consultation exercises have been undertaken by each Department in the Northern Ireland Office in the last  (a) six months and  (b) 12 months; and what the cost was of the exercises;
	(2)  how much has been allocated for consultation exercises by each Department in the Northern Ireland Office in 2006-07.

Peter Hain: From December 2005 to December 2006 the Northern Ireland Office carried out 25 consultation exercises. From June 2006 to December 2006 the Northern Ireland Office completed 19 consultation exercises. In general specific budgets are not allocated to consultation exercises as the costs are absorbed into the cost of the policy implementation or administrative spending. However divisions have identified wherever possible costs allocated for any larger consultation exercises planned for 2006-07.
	The following table shows each consultation exercise undertaken by the Northern Ireland Office from December 2005 to December 2006 highlighting the responsible Department, the costs involved and where available the amount allocated for consultations in 2006-07.
	
		
			   
			  Division  Consultation  Cost 2005-06  Budget 2006-07 
			  Policing Division
			 December 2006 Draft Policing (Miscellaneous Provisions) (NI) Order 2007 1,200 to 1,400 (estimated cost) No specific budget allocation for consultation exercises(1) 
			 October 2006 Young People and Licensed Firearms A review of the relevant provisions of the Firearms (NI) Order 2004. 86.01 (1) 
			 September 2006 Amendments to the Draft Police and Criminal Evidence (Amendment) (NI) Order Specific costs are not available. Costs have been absorbed into existing administrative spending(2) (1) 
			 September 2006 Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (2) (1) 
			 
			  Firearms and Explosives
			 May 2006 New regulations and an approved code of practice and guidance on the manufacture and storage of explosives in Northern Ireland 1,550.17 (1) 
			 May 2006 Draft Code of Practice for the detention and questioning of persons under section 41 and Schedule 8 of the Terrorism Act 2000 1,786.47 (1) 
			 
			  Policing Policy Branch
			 May 2006 The Police and Criminal Evidence(Amendment) NI Order 2006 5,755.97 (1) 
			 May 2006 Police and Criminal Evidence (NI) Order1989Draft Codes of Practice 2006 3,575.00 (1) 
			 
			  Youth Justice Policy Unit, CJSD
			 November 2006 Proposals for the Juvenile Justice Centre (NI) Rules 2007 and the Juvenile Justice Centre Order (Supervision) Rules (NI) 2007 200 (1) 
			 
			  Criminal Law Branch, CJPB
			 November 2006 Road Traffic and Driver Disqualification 1,890.86 Criminal Justice Policy Division has a budget allocation of 57,500 for consultation exercises in 2006-07(3) 
			 November 2006 Making Sure Crime Doesn't Pay Proposals for a new measure to prevent convicted criminals profiting published accounts of their crime 2,372.56 (3) 
			 October 2006 Consultation on Quashing Convictions 2,245.83 (3) 
			 September 2006 Contribution towards CSU Knives Summit 1,712.00 (3) 
			 July 2006 The law on knives in Northern Ireland 2,959.03 (3) 
			 July 2006 Increasing penalties for deliberate misuse of personal data 2.31 (3) 
			 May 2006 Proposals to amend the rehabilitation of Offenders (Exceptions) Order (NI) 1979 2,348.87 (3) 
			 December 2005 Corruption Law Reform/Bribery 1,899.42 (3) 
			 
			  Criminal Justice Policy Branch
			 September 2006 A Protocol for community based restorative justice schemes 310.63 (3) 
			 July 2006 Reforming the law on Sexual Offences in Northern Ireland Volume 1 2,503.30 (3) 
			 July 2006 Reforming the law on Sexual Offences in Northern Ireland Volume 2 As above (3) 
			 April 2006 Victims and Witnesses of Crime Strategy development seminar (half day) 2,906.98  
			 December 2005 Consultation on draft Guidelines for Community based Restorative Justice Schemes 77.03 (3) 
			 
			  Human Rights and Equality Unit
			 September 2006 A Forum on a Bill of Rights for Northern IrelandA Consultation Paper (2) (1) 
			 
			  Community Safety Unit No consultations during 2005-06 10,000 
			 
			  Security Policy Operations Belfast
			 August 2006 Regulating the Private Security Industry in Northern Ireland (2) (1) 
			 August 2006 Replacement arrangements for the Diplock Court System (2) (1)

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff were employed on a consultancy basis in  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies in each of the last five years for which information is available; and what the (i) average and (ii) longest period was for which a consultant was employed in each year.

Peter Hain: The following table shows how many staff were employed on a consultancy basis in the Northern Ireland Office and each of its agencies for each of the last five years. Information for the period 2001-02 and 2002-03 is limited as it is no longer available to all Branches.
	In some cases there was no information held on the number of consultants employed. When the information was not available we recorded the number of consultancy companies employed in the table as follows.
	
		
			   Department/Agency  Staff employed  Consultancy companies employed 
			 2005-06 NIO 50 4 
			 2004-05 NIO 46 2 
			 2003-04 NIO 67 4 
			 2002-03 NIO 18 7 
			 2001-02 NIO 5 1 
			 2005-06 Compensation Agency 1  
			 2004-05 Compensation Agency 3  
			 2003-04 Compensation Agency 1  
			 2002-03 Compensation Agency 1  
			 2005-06 NI Prison Service 20  
			 2004-05 NI Prison Service 9  
			 2005-06 Youth Justice Agency 8 5 
			 2004-05 Youth Justice Agency 7 3 
			 2003-04 Youth Justice Agency 3 1 
			 2005-06 Forensic Science NI 7  
			 2004-05 Forensic Science NI 3  
			 2003-04 Forensic Science NI 1  
			 2002-03 Forensic Science NI 1  
			 2001-02 Forensic Science NI 1  
		
	
	The average period for which a consultant had been employed each year was:
	
		
			   Months 
			 2001-02 1 
			 2002-03 4.5 
			 2003-04 8 
			 2004-05 8 
			 2005-06 6 
		
	
	The longest period for which a consultant was employed was 12 months for each year except 2001-02, when it was four months.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much efficiency savings have been made in his Department and its associated public bodies as a result of the Gershon review; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: At 30 September 2006, the NIO, including its agencies and NDPBs, had delivered efficiency savings totalling 58.9 million.

Golden Jubilee Medal

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of those eligible in Northern Ireland to receive HM the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal have not received their medal in each eligible group.

Peter Hain: As far as we are aware, all the armed and emergency services personnel, in Northern Ireland who were eligible for the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal (and who wished to accept it) have received their medal.

Private Finance Initiative

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total capital value is of each private finance initiative scheme overseen by his Department which has reached financial close; over what period repayments will take place; and what the total cost of repayment will be.

Peter Hain: The Northern Ireland Office only has one commitment under PFI contractthe Causeway Programme.
	Causeway is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between Fujitsu Services and the Northern Ireland Office to provide managed services related to the electronic sharing of information across the criminal justice organisations in Northern Ireland. The programme is implementing a number of services in a number of phases.
	The total capital value of the Causeway scheme (as per NIO Resource Accounts 2005-06) is approximately 9.3 million. This capital value is estimated by independent consultants.
	Repayments will take place over the length of the contract, i.e. 10 years with effect from 28 August 2003. The cost of these repayments, known as unitary charge payments, is approximately 23.9 million. Unitary charge payments are made for services provided and the annual payment increases as services are made available. The figure quoted is a projection; payments will be affected by the supplier performance and annual indexation (from March 2006). The contract also includes a small number of milestone payments with a total value of 3.4 million.
	A list of all signed private finance initiative deals, with capital values, can be found on the HM Treasury website, available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/documents/public_ private_partnership/ppp_pfi_stats.cfm

Private Finance Initiative

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what  (a) public-private partnerships and  (b) private finance initiative contracts have been entered into by his Department; what assets were transferred to the private sector as part of each deal; what the value of these assets was; what the total cost is of each contract; and what estimate was made of the cost to his Department of traditional procurement over the life of each contract.

Peter Hain: The Northern Ireland Office only has one commitment under PPP/PFI contractthe Causeway Programme.
	Causeway is a public-private partnership (PPP) between Fujitsu Services and the Northern Ireland Office to provide managed services related to the electronic sharing of information across the criminal justice organisations in Northern Ireland. The programme is implementing a number of services in a number of phases.
	No assets were transferred to the private sector as part of the deal.
	Total cost of the contract is 27 million.
	Traditional procurement cost is 38 million.

Special Advisers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance he has issued to his special advisers concerning alterations to their duties during the campaign for the deputy leadership of the Labour party.

Peter Hain: Special advisers act in accordance with the requirements of the code of conduct for special advisers. This makes clear that special advisers may assist with a leadership or deputy leadership campaign, but it must be in their own time. In addition, the Cabinet Secretary has issued guidance to Departments on conduct in the run-up to such elections. A copy has been placed in the Library for the reference of Members.

Special Advisers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to alter the  (a) salaries of,  (b) number of support staff available to and  (c) office space provided to his special advisers in the next 12 months.

Peter Hain: There are no plans to alter the accommodation or support structure for special advisers. Salaries of support staff are not a matter for Ministers.

Water Supplies

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of dwellings in Northern Ireland which are without mains water supply.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Katharine Bryan) has written to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	 Letter from Katharine Bryan, dated 8 January 2007:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about what estimate he has made of the number of dwellings in Northern Ireland which are without mains water supply (113073). I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
	It is estimated that fewer than 1% of dwellings in Northern Ireland are not connected to the mains water supply. Water Service does not, at present, have a database of all domestic properties connected to mains water. However, a comprehensive customer database is currently being developed in preparation for the proposed introduction of domestic charging from April 2007 and this will identify any domestic properties not connected to the mains water supply.

HEALTH

Alcohol-related Conditions

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults were admitted into accident and emergency departments in Greater London because of alcohol-related problems in each year since 2003.

Caroline Flint: The following table shows counts of finished admission episodes, in the years 2003-04 to 2004-05, for selected alcohol related diseases and for selected methods of emergency admissions for patients treated in London. Data are shown by strategic health authority (SHA) areas which existed at the time. These SHAs merged on 1 July 2006 to create one London SHA.
	
		
			  Counts of finished admission episodes for ( 1) selected methods of admission where there was a primary diagnosis code for ( 2) selected alcohol related diseases 
			   Aged under 18  Aged 18 and over  Age not known  All ages 
			  Strategic health authority of treatment( 3)  2003-04  2004-05  2003-04  2004-05  2003-04  2004-05  2003-04  2004-05 
			 North West London 100 84 1,068 1,379 11 20 1,179 1,483 
			 North Central London 74 82 801 1,074 11 22 886 1,178 
			 North East London 91 59 1,088 1,251 1 3 1,180 1,313 
			 South East London 88 88 1,306 1,784  2 1,394 1,874 
			 South West London 168 156 695 850 1 1 864 1,007 
			 (1 ) Selected Methods of Admission: Emergency (via A  E services including the casualty department of the provider) Emergency (other means, including patients who arrive via A  E department of another healthcare provider) (2 ) Alcohol related diseases defined as following ICD-10 codes recorded in primary diagnosis: F10: Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol K70: Alcoholic liver disease T51: Toxic effect of alcohol (3 )Strategic Health Authority of Treatment=London Strategic Health Authorities NHS hospitals, England 2003-04 to 2004-05  Notes: 1.  Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2 . Diagnosis (Primary Diagnosis) The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (7 prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital. 3.  Ungrossed Data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed). 4.  Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Strategic Health Authority (SHA) Data Quality PCT and SHA data was added to historic data-years in the HES database using 2002-03 boundaries, as a one-off exercise in 2004. The quality of the data on PCT of Treatment and SHA of Treatment is poor in 1996-97,1997-98 and 1998-99, with over a third of all finished episodes having missing values in these years. Data quality of PCT of GP practice and SHA of GP practice in 1997-98 and 1998-99 is also poor, with a high proportion missing values where practices changed or ceased to exist. There is less change in completeness of the residence-based fields over time, where the majority of unknown values are due to missing postcodes on birth episodes. Users of time series analysis including these years need to be aware of these issues in their interpretation of the data. 5.  Data Quality Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England. The Health and Social Care Information Centre liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. Whilst this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Branded Generic Medicines

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment her Department has made of the potential for savings to the NHS from the purchase of branded generic goods; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  why the publication of her Department's consultation on branded generic medicines has been delayed until after the Office of Fair Trading's report on the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme in 2007; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  whether the Department's consultation on branded generic medicines will be made public; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  what meetings she has held with interested parties on the delay in the publication of the Department's consultation on generic medicines; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The Department will not be able to determine what savings may be made by the national health service until such time as a number of complex issues raised by the consultation process have been resolved. It will also be necessary to consider these issues in the context of any conclusions reported in the Office of Fair Trading study into the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme (PPRS).
	A decision has therefore been taken to defer any final conclusion until the Department receives the report on the PPRS which is expected in the first quarter of 2007.
	A summary will be reported when the consultation is formally concluded.
	No ministerial meeting has been held to inform interested parties, but these organisations have been advised of the delay.

Capital Resource Funds Allocation

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any of the capital resource fund allocated in the 2006-07 financial year for investment in health has since been designated to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for sport-related projects; and whether there are any plans to transfer such funds in the future.

Andy Burnham: The Department has not reallocated any of its 2006-07 capital resources to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport or sport-related projects and has no plans to do so in the future.

Cholesterol Levels

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence her Department has assessed on the level of risk posed by elevated levels of low density lipopropein cholesterol in coronary heart disease relative to other factors; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Effectiveness (NICE) published a health technology appraisal on statins in January 2006. This took account of all available evidence and concluded that it was effective to intervene with statin therapy in patients who scored a 20 per cent. or greater 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease, regardless of the starting cholesterol.
	NICE is currently working on a guideline on lipid control, due for publication next year, which is also looking at the issue of risk assessment.
	There are a number of different risk assessment tools for coronary heart disease (CHD) in use in England. Most of them derive from the Framingham prediction equations, which estimate CHD risk based on patients' age, gender, blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density cholesterol, presence of diabetes and smoking habit. Relative risk reductions in CHD events in the statin trials appear similar regardless of baseline risk and baseline cholesterol except where baseline cholesterol is less than 5.0 mmol/l when the relative risk reduction is less. This implies that the best way to target patients for cholesterol control and statin therapy to reduce CHD risk is to calculate absolute risk.

Commission for Patient and Public Involvement

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the performance of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health in engaging hard to reach groups and those who are unused to speaking up or participating in the NHS.

Rosie Winterton: The Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health's (CPPIH) primary role is to support the work of patients forums. Many patients forums have focused specifically on engaging with diverse and excluded groups on how services can be improved. In the CPPIH's annual review of the work of patients forums a number of examples of this kind of activity are described, and this is available at:
	www.cppih.org/documents/Nationalsummary.pdf

Community Hospitals

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the role of English district general hospitals that serve Welsh patients has been in the consultation process on the possible closure of community hospitals in Wales.

Andy Burnham: This is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

Contact Lenses: Sales

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions are in place to prevent the sale of contact lenses over the internet without a prescription.

Rosie Winterton: Under the Opticians Act contact lenses may be sold over the internet, but only where there is a valid prescription.

Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2006,  Official Report, column 440W, on correspondence, what progress has been made by the chief executive of NHS West Midlands in ensuring that the hon. Member for West Worcestershire receives a response to his letters of  (a) 22 August and  (b) 17 October, on changes in Worcestershire health service provision.

Caroline Flint: This has already been raised with NHS West Midlands. However, the strategic health authority is still awaiting clarification of some further details to enable it to continue with the necessary inquiries before a reply can be sent to the hon. Member.

Dentistry

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will assess the accuracy of the calculations of units of dental activity for dentists working on the new dental contracts; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Under the new contractual arrangements, providers of national health service primary dental care services undertake to provide an agreed level of services over the course of the year, measured in terms of courses of treatment but with a weighting to reflect relative complexity. Units of dental activity are the measure of these weighted courses of treatment. Dentists previously working under the old general dental services contract were entitled to contracts based on the courses of treatment paid for during the 12-month reference period (October 2004 to September 2005), converted into units of dental activity and then reduced by 5 per cent.
	During the period leading up to the implementation of the contract, the Department worked closely with the then Dental Practice Board to make sure that this calculation of units of dental activity represented as fair a reflection as possible of the activity paid for during the reference period. The Department remains confident that these calculations provided a fair basis for calculating the new service requirements, taking into account the 5 per cent. reduction and the opportunity given to dentists to carry out simpler courses of treatment with fewer individual interventions.

Dentistry

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) guidance and  (b) instructions were given by her Department to the Dental Practice Board during the formation of the new system of dental contracts on the calculation of units of dental activity; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The General Dental Services and Personal Dental Services Transitional Provisions Order 2005 (SI No. 2005/3435) required primary care trusts (PCTs) to calculate the units of dental activity to be provided by the contractor under a general dental services (CDS) contract by analysing the data held in respect of care and treatment provided by the contractor during the year 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2005, categorising that care and treatment in accordance with Schedules 1 to 4 of the National Health Service Dental Charges Regulations and converting into units of dental activity by reference to the criteria specified in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the GDS Contracts Regulations. The primary care trust (PCT) was then required to reduce the number of units of dental activity so calculated by 5 per cent. The Department arranged for the then Dental Practice Board to undertake these functions on behalf of PCTs.
	Similar provisions applied in the case of contractors providing services under a personal dental services (PDS) agreement, but with provision for PCTs and contractors to agree the appropriate number of units of dental activity where data did not exist for the reference period or where it was appropriate to adjust the data.

Dentistry

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the proportion of dentists who are likely to meet the targets set for them under the new contractual arrangements; if she will review the effectiveness of the target system; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Under the new contractual arrangements, providers of national health service primary dental care services receive an agreed annual contract value in return for undertaking to provide an agreed level of services over the course of the year, measured in terms of the courses of treatment they provide, with a weighting to reflect the relative complexity of different types of courses of treatment. The Department has not made an assessment of the proportion of dental providers who are likely to fulfil their annual service commitments. It is for primary care trusts, working with dental providers, to monitor and manage contract performance locally.
	For dentists previously working under the old general dental services contract, the new annual service level is based on the weighted courses of treatment paid for during a 12-month reference period (October 2004 to September 2005), but with a reduction of five per cent. By removing the old fee-per-item system of payment, the new arrangements have also been designed to support dentists in carrying out simpler courses of treatment. Dentists should, therefore, generally have the opportunity to carry out fewer and simpler courses of treatment compared with the reference period, enabling them to devote more time to preventative care and to manage their workload more effectively over the course of the year.
	The Department has established an implementation review group, comprising representatives of patients, dentists, national health service organisations and other stakeholders to keep under review the impact of the dental reforms introduced on 1 April 2006.

Dyspraxia

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what policies her Department is developing to deal with dyspraxia; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The national service framework (NSF) for long-term conditions, published in March 2005, is a 10-year plan to raise the standard of treatment, care and support for people with long-term neurological conditions across local health and social care services. As a result of the NSF, people with neurological conditions, including those with dyspraxia, will receive a faster diagnosis, more rapid treatment and a comprehensive package of care.
	Local national health service and social services are responsible for reviewing their services to see if they already meet the quality requirements set out in the NSF. This will help them to decide their local priorities for making changes and improvements, to meet the criteria in full over the next 10 years.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much in efficiency savings has been made in her Department and its associated public bodies as a result of the Gershon Review; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Up to September 2006 we had achieved total savings of 3,700 million.
	A more detailed breakdown of these savings has been provided in the Department's autumn performance report published on 11 December and is available in the Library.

Hand Sanitisation

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to ensure that all hospitals provide an alcohol-free means of hand sanitisation for visitors.

Ivan Lewis: The focus of cleanyourhands, the national hand hygiene campaign run by the National Patient Safety Agency, is to get health care workers to clean their hands more often as it is staff who play the key role in cross-infection and therefore prevention. Decisions on the use of hand rubs and similar products by visitors are made locally and a variety of alcohol-free products are available.

Infectious Diseases

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons expenditure on infectious disease fell between 2004-05 and 2005-06 as recorded in the NHS's resource accounts.

Andy Burnham: Following the publication of the 2005-06 NHS resource accounts, an error was discovered in the underlying data for the 2004-05 financial year. Revised figures show that expenditure in the infectious diseases category increased from 1,019 million to 1,211 million an increase of 18.8 per cent. The increase in expenditure in the infections diseases programme, is a result of data re-classifications for primary care trusts in the NHS London area.

Local Involvement Networks

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the statutory basis is for the establishment of early adopter local involvement networks as set out in her Department's response to the consultation A stronger local voice; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The early adopter sites do not have a statutory basis. We are working with the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, the Healthcare Commission, the NHS Centre for Involvement and local stakeholders to build on their experience of involvement by looking at the structures required to empower and support local community engagement in health and social care, to help develop Local Involvement Networks.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has given officials at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on attendance at  (a) UK and  (b) international conferences on standards; and how much has been allocated for such attendance in 2006-07. [R]

Ivan Lewis: The Medicines and Health products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are responsible for ensuring that medical devices placed on the United Kingdom market meet the appropriate levels of safety and quality.
	In order to do so they must meet the relevant essential requirements of the appropriate directive. One way to achieve this is for the device to meet the requirements of the relevant mandated European standard, where one exists. However, the use of standards is voluntary and a manufacturer can if he so wishes demonstrate compliance with the essential requirements by adopting other technical solutions.
	Funding for devices work is provided in line with a service level agreement made between the MHRA and the Department. The participation in standards development, at either UK or international level, is not included in the 2006-07 agreement.

Ministerial Visits

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which Ministers in her Department have visited Nottinghamshire in the last 12 months; and where they visited in Nottinghamshire.

Andy Burnham: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Ministers in the Department have visited the following organisations in Nottinghamshire in the last 12 months:
	
		
			Organisation 
			 11 September 2006 Secretary of State Kings Mill Hospital Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust 
			 12 September 2006 Secretary of State Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust 
			 12 September 2006 Ivan Lewis Gedling PCT 
			 11 September 2006 Lord Warner Wilford Ambulance Station 
			 11 September 2006 Lord Warner Nottingham Emergency Medical Service 
			 11 September 2006 Lord Warner Queen's Medical Centre 
			 12 September 2006 Lord Warner Kings Mill Hospital Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 12 September 2006 Lord Warner Mansfield Community Hospital, Mansfield District PCT 
			 12 September 2006 Lord Warner Newark and Sherwood PCT 
			 12 September 2006 Andy Burnham Hawtonville Clinic 
			 12 September 2006 Andy Burnham Wood Court 
			 12 September 2006 Andy Burnham Newark and Sherwood PCT 
			 12 September 2006 Andy Burnham Newark Hospital 
			 6 November 2006 Ivan Lewis Jack Dawe Home Care Team Social Service Department Nottingham City Council

NHS Buildings

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her policy is on construction of new NHS buildings on hospital sites that have been earmarked for closure or downgrading; what plans there are for a new CT scanner at the Frenchay Hospital site; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: National health service trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for the provision of health care services in their areas. Regular re-appraisal of their service provision should be carried out to reflect changing demands of health care and consequently the whole or parts of hospital sites may become surplus to their requirements. Under guidance provided by the Department's publication Estatecode, such property should be offered to other local trusts to determine whether these assets could be re-used by them for the provision of health care services. This policy accords with the Government's requirement to make better use of surplus public sector land.
	The centrally funded equipment programme is now complete, and there are currently no plans to install a new centrally funded CT scanner at the Frenchay Hospital site. It is the responsibility of the local PCTs to ensure that service requirements in the area are met, and that all decisions are based on local priorities and available resources. NHS South West has reported that the North Bristol Trust is planning to provide a new mobile CT scanner, which can serve more than one site in the Bristol area so as to maximise the use of the facility.

NHS Trusts: Financial Deficits

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trusts in deficit have had their deficit converted to public dividend capital; what the criteria are for converting deficits to public dividend capital; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: A deficit arises when a national health service trust's revenue expenditure exceeds its revenue income. Public dividend capital (PDC) is the cash allocated to an NHS organisation to fund capital expenditure. It is not technically possible to convert deficits (an income and expenditure concept) to PDC (a cash concept).

NHS Trusts: Prompt Payment

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the promptness of payments to suppliers by NHS trusts; what mechanisms are in place to monitor their performance in this regard; and if she will take steps to ensure that NHS trusts keep to contract terms in paying suppliers. [R]

Andy Burnham: In 2005-06 national health service trusts paid 78 per cent. of non NHS bills within 30 days or contract terms. This is the most recent period for which figures are available.
	The Department requires NHS trusts to comply with the Confederation of British Industry's Better Payment Practice Code (BPPC) which sets a target of paying 95 per cent. of undisputed invoices within contract terms or 30 days where no terms have been agreed.
	It is the responsibility of strategic health authorities to monitor the performance of individual national health service bodies, report this performance to the Department and work with poor performing organisations to achieve and maintain a level of payment performance consistent with government accounting regulations and the Better Payment Practice Code target.

North Bristol Trust

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the letter of 15 December from the right hon. the Lord Warner to the hon. Member for Northavon, if she will set out in full the reasons why North Bristol Trust was not supported for foundation trust status; and if she will place in the Library a copy of the correspondence between  (a) her Department and  (b) Monitor to North Bristol Trust conveying the reasons for that decision.

Andy Burnham: The Secretary of State has deferred support for the trust as it is required to repay a significant debt to the Department in respect of an earlier income and expenditure deficit. The trust requires more time to make the necessary arrangements to fund the repayment and ensure that it remains financially viable.
	A copy of the correspondence between the Department and the trust has been placed in the Library. There has been no correspondence between Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) and the trust because the trust has not reached Monitor's assessment stage for authorisation as a national health service foundation trust.

Patient Forums

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of patient forum members at the beginning of 2006; and what her most recent estimate is.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected by the Department but is by the Commission for Patient and Pubic Involvement in Health (CPPIH). The CPPIH's figures show that at the start of 2006 there were 569 forums in operation with a total membership of 4,666. Following the reduction of primary care trusts from 303 to 152 in October this year there are currently 398 forums in operation with 4,281 participating members.

Private Finance Initiative Projects

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by her Department on private finance initiative projects postponed pending further consideration or stopped in the last 12 months.

Andy Burnham: The Department announced on the 18 January 2006 that it would be reviewing all private finance initiative schemes yet to reach financial close and with an expected capital value of greater than 75 million. The purpose of the review process is to deliver schemes that are financially viable and sustainable over the long-term, and in pursuit of achieving these objectives certain schemes have experienced limited delays.
	In conducting the review process, the Department has so far incurred costs of 220,271. These costs do not include any incurred by the trusts themselves.

Prostate Cancer

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the prostate cancer awareness campaign pilot announced in 2005; and when she expects to make a decision on the national roll-out of the scheme.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has collaborated with the prostate cancer charter for action to fund a pilot public awareness programme on the prostate and its function. The Department provided 100,000 towards the pilot, with signatories to the charter providing a further 50,000.
	The pilot took place in Coventry in October 2006, and an independent evaluation is now assessing the effectiveness of the messages used in the pilot, the interventions used to promote the messages, and the impact the pilot has had on national health service services. The evaluation is expected to report in early 2007. The learning from this pilot will help us in deciding the way forward on the public awareness of prostate cancer.

Public Involvement

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the model contract on the role for local involvement networks and their relationships with local authorities will be set out.

Rosie Winterton: The Government response document to A Stronger Local Voice, published on Monday 11 December, provides some detail about the proposed model contract between local authorities and the hosts of Local Involvement Networks. This contract is being developed with the involvement of stakeholders and will be consulted upon in the new year. The Government response document to A Stronger Local Voice is available in the Library and can be found at the following website address:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicy AndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4141027 amp;chk=YeQaBl

Severalls Hospital

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the sale of Severalls Hospital in Colchester to be completed; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	English Partnerships and its partner organisations have now completed all the necessary agreements to dispose of the Severalls site. For commercial reasons English Partnerships and its partners have decided to market the site early in new year with a view to completing the sale in autumn 2007.

Sexual Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sexual health leads as recommended in the 2001 National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV are employed in primary care trusts and strategic health authorities.

Caroline Flint: Most primary care trusts (PCTs) and strategic health authorities (SHAs) have a lead for sexual health and HIV, however, exact numbers are still being clarified following the recent re-configuration of the national health service. Details of the employment of these leads are not held by the Department.

Sexual Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government plan to make an assessment of the effectiveness of its sexual health campaign Condom Essential Wear in reducing sexual transmitted infections for 18 to 24-year-olds.

Caroline Flint: We will be evaluating the success of the Condom Essential Wear campaign by conducting regular surveys among our target audience to measure campaign awareness and changes in attitudinal and behavioural indicators such as condom usage and attitudes to sex, relationships, contraception and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
	We will measure changes in behaviour and attitudes against a benchmark survey carried out in advance of the campaign launch in November 2006.
	Increased awareness of STIs and improved technology may lead to more people presenting for testing so decreases in levels of infections may not be seen immediately.

Sexual Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she plans to publish her Department's response to the Independent Advisory Group report on sexual health published on 14 December 2006.

Caroline Flint: We plan to publish our response to the Independent Advisory Group's report before the end of March 2007.

Statins

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what evidence her Department has assessed on the effectiveness of statins in reducing the five-year incidence of  (a) major coronary events and  (b) stroke; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will assess the likely savings in health care costs which would result from lowering mean low density lipopropein cholesterol levels by one millimol per litre in the population at high risk of  (a) coronary diseases and  (b) cerebrovascular disease; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Effectiveness (NICE) published a health technology appraisal (HTA) on statins in January 2006. This took account of all available evidence and concluded that it was both clinically-effective and cost-effective to intervene with statin therapy in patients who scored a 20 per cent. or greater 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), regardless of the starting cholesterol. This updates the national service framework for coronary heart disease (CHD) which had set the threshold for intervention at a 30 per cent. 10-year risk of CHD, both by lowering the intervention threshold and by including the range of vascular conditionsincluding cerebrovascular diseasewhich are together termed CVD.
	More details can be found on the NICE website at:
	www.nice.org.uk
	Cost-effectiveness estimates vary as costs change. The cost of generic statins came down sharply while the HTA was in preparation and has dropped again since its publication. The NICE website therefore includes a tool which the national health service can use to determine current cost-effectiveness in their local health economies.

Waiting Times

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting list time was for  (a) all hospital patients and  (b) cancer patients on (i) 2nd May 1997 and (ii) the most recent date for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The median waiting times for in-patient admission has decreased from 13.2 weeks in March 1997 to 6.9 weeks in October 2006.
	Average waiting times for cancer patients are not available centrally. Latest published figures show that 95 per cent. of patients are treated within two months of urgent GP referral. There are no equivalent figures for 1997, but this compares to 78 per cent. of patients treated within two months of urgent GP referral in June 2004, when this information was first published.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Bangladesh

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps her Department is taking to urge restraint and compromise among Bangladesh's political parties and to defuse tension ahead of the national parliamentary elections.

Kim Howells: We continue to take a very close interest in the political process and preparations for the elections due in Bangladesh. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Trade during a visit to Dhaka in November, emphasised to the leaders of the main parties the need for responsible leadership and restraint. Officials from our high commission in Dhaka continue to press the political parties to act positively and constructively towards ensuring free, fair and accepted elections. Our high commissioner in Dhaka did so most recently when he met the leaders of the main parties on 24 December and on 1 January.

Bolivia

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the scale of recent protests in Santa Cruz; and what representations she is making to the Bolivian Government on a peaceful resolution to these protests.

Geoff Hoon: Hundreds of thousands of protesters took part in the recent protests in Santa Cruz and other states in Eastern Bolivia. There were also smaller counter-demonstrations by government supporters. Events are being closely monitored by our embassy in La Paz and discussed with EU colleagues. The EU Troika has been making representations to all sides in the disputes, urging them to attempt to reach consensus through dialogue.

Chad

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the military activities of armed groups in eastern Chad; what representations she has received from  (a) the UK ambassador to the UN and  (b) her counterparts on the Security Council on those activities; and what her most recent assessment is of the security situation in Darfur.

Ian McCartney: We are very concerned about the ongoing violence in eastern Chad, both by armed groups spilling over the border from Darfur and by groups internal to Chad. We continue to call on the Governments of Sudan and Chad to stop supporting each others' rebels and to fulfil their obligations under the Tripoli Agreement.
	Our ambassador to the UN met the Chad Foreign Minister on 20 December. He impressed on Chad the need for a resolution of the crisis in Darfur and an improvement in relations between Chad and Sudan, with both countries implementing the Tripoli Agreement in order to improve stability in the region.
	We remain in contact with other members of the UN Security Council on the situation in Chad. The UN Secretary-General is due to report to the Security Council shortly on options for an international presence along Chad's border with Darfur. We will consider his recommendations carefully.
	The situation on the ground in Darfur was relatively calm over the last week of December and early January. However, there remains a strong possibility of a resumption of violence after the Eid al Adha holiday and the underlying security problems remain in place.

China

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the Chinese authorities on harvesting of organs in China.

Ian McCartney: The Government have raised concerns about the use of organs from executed prisoners for transplantation with the Chinese government on a number of occasions, most recently at the last round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in July 2006. The Government welcomed the regulation, which came into effect in China on 1 July 2006, banning the sale of organs and introducing medical standards for organ transplants. But we remain concerned that the regulations do not comply with the requirement for donation to be based on full, free and informed consent, as set out by the World Medical Association and the World Health Organisation.
	We have received no evidence to date to substantiate media reports of large-scale organ harvesting in China. The Chinese government has denied such allegations.

European Common Asylum Policy

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the European Common Asylum Policy.

Geoff Hoon: The UK has opted-in to all asylum directives and is in the process of implementing the first stage of the Common European Asylum system. At the European Council in December 2006 EU member states agreed to realise the Common European Asylum System by the end of 2010, starting with a preliminary evaluation of its first phase in 2007. The development of its second phase will be accompanied by a strengthening of practical co-operation in the area of asylum.

Indonesia

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to the Government of Indonesia regarding the burning of rainforest for the purpose of creating agricultural land; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: We regularly discuss forestry issues, and forest fire haze in particular, with the Indonesian Government. Most recently, on 8 December our ambassador in Jakarta met the Indonesian Minister of Forestry to discuss the Stern Review and reinforce the importance that the UK places on the issue of climate change and the forestry land use changes which contribute to climate change. We are also in contact with the local office of the Association of South East Asian Nations on this issue, to discuss how we can help with their work on developing a Transboundary Haze Agreement.

Iran

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received on proposed legislation in Iran to make religious minorities wear identifying insignia; which minorities are affected; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: On 14 May the Iranian Parliament approved the outline of a draft Bill on an Islamic dress code. This Bill set out regulations for the import of clothing and future government support for Iranian clothing producers.
	Canadian media reporting initially claimed that the draft Bill included a reference to religious minorities (Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians) having to wear identifying insignia or colours, but there is no mention of this in the draft Bill. The Iranian embassy in London refuted the media reports and the Canadian newspaper in question issued an apology for its inaccurate reporting. We did not make formal representations to the Government of Iran.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer by the Minister for State on 27 November 2006,  Official Report, column 472W, on Iraq, whether a British-led investigation was conducted into possible links between the al-Da'wa organisation and the terrorist attacks on the British embassy and the British Club in the 1980s.

Kim Howells: Responsibility for investigating the attacks on the British embassy and the British Club in Baghdad in the 1980s lay with the Iraqi authorities. As my answer to the hon. Member of 27 November 2006,  Official Report, column 472W records, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no evidence of involvement by members of the Iraqi al-Da'wa organisation in the planning and execution of the terrorist attacks.

Madagascar

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are in place in Madagascar for the representation of the interests of  (a) British exporters and  (b) British nationals; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: UK consular and commercial interests in Madagascar are represented through our high commission in Port Louis, Mauritius.
	We continue to push for swift accreditation from the Government of Madagascar for our high commissioner in Mauritius to be non-resident ambassador to Madagascar and for our appointed honorary consul in Antananarivo. Until that authority has been granted to our honorary consul in Antananarivo, our high commission in Port Louis is dealing with all consular inquiries. A British honorary consul has been appointed in Toamasina, and has the necessary authority from the Government of Madagascar to act as the first point of contact for British nationals requiring consular assistance in the Toamasina region. The French embassy in Antananarivo has agreed to provide support for British nationals in the event of a serious consular incident in Madagascar.

Nangpa Incident

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports she has received on the incident at Nangpa on 30 September 2006.

Ian McCartney: The EU urged the Chinese Government to investigate the incident at the Nangpa Pass, at the last round of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, held in Beijing on 19 October 2006. The Chinese Government confirmed that the incident had taken place and promised to give further information. The EU followed up on 19 December and was told by the Chinese authorities that the incident was a border management issue and there was nothing new to report. The Chinese Government said it is doing its utmost to take care of all those involved, with a special emphasis on the well-being of the children.

Overseas Missions

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many overseas missions the United Kingdom opened in each of the last nine years.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has opened 30 missions over the last nine years. These were a combination of new posts and upgradings of existing representations. Six of these new posts have since been closed. The following table shows the number of posts opened during each year over this period.
	
		
			  March-April each year  Missions opened 
			 1997-98 1 
			 1998-99 1 
			 1999-2000 4 
			 2000-01 9 
			 2001-02 7 
			 2002-03 2 
			 2003-04 0 
			 2004-05 3 
			 2005-06 0 
			 2006-07 3 
			 Total 30 
		
	
	The FCO continuously reviews the deployment of its resources, assessing them flexibly, in line with UK interests, and to the benefit of the British taxpayer.

Overseas Missions

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  how many visa applications were  (a) received by post and  (b) made in person at British Missions overseas in the latest year for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many visa applications were  (a) received by post and  (b) made in person at  (a) the British Embassy, Beijing,  (b) the British Consulate General, Shanghai,  (c) the British Consulate General, Guangzhou,  (d) the British Consulate General, Chongqing and  (e) all British Missions in China in the latest year for which figures are available.

Ian McCartney: The information requested by the hon. Member is set out as follows:
	
		
			   Applications for FY 2005-06  Applications for FY 2006-07 (April-November 2006) 
			   By post  In person  By post  In person 
			 Global 207,495 1,099,454 142,790 519,300 
			  Post 
			 Beijing 7 261 4 1,161 
			 Chongqing 0 1,437 0 1,622 
			 Guangzhou 0 4,291 6 3,996 
			 Shanghai 5 467 2 261 
			  Country 
			 China 12 19,680 2,907 18,341 
			  Note: The total figures for China include the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong.  Source: Monthly Statistical Report

Pakistan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received of the government of Pakistan's agreements with tribal leaders in North Waziristan.

Kim Howells: We continue to receive reports of Taliban influence in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. We share Pakistan's concern about this. We continue to monitor the results of the peace agreement signed in September with tribal elders in North Waziristan Agency.

Pakistan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of Taliban activity on the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Kim Howells: We continue to receive reports of Taliban activity on the Afghan-Pakistan border. We remain in regular contact with both the Afghan and Pakistani Governments about this and share their concerns.

Palestine

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will take steps to uphold the right of British nationals to enter the Occupied Territories.

Kim Howells: We made our concerns known to the Israeli government most recently on 26 October and 4 December. On 23 October the EU demarched Israel on the issue of entry of EU nationals to the Occupied Territories.
	The EU also held a meeting with Major General Yossef Mishlev, the Head of Co-ordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) on 13 December. During this meeting, Major General Mishlev confirmed that new arrangements for the entry of EU nationals were to be put into place. These include an order not to stamp any more passports with a last permit stamp; a visa can be renewed even if there is a last permit stamp in the passport and reintroduction of the policy of issuing a three-month tourist visa.
	COGAT has established a contact person at the Allenby crossing to help with all individual problems. A similar contact person will be stationed at Ben Gurion airport.
	We will be monitoring the implementation of these new procedures closely.

Palestine

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether  (a) she,  (b) her Department and  (c) any agency thereof has received reports of funds being provided to Mohammed Dahlan in Gaza by (i) agents and (ii) agencies working on behalf of the United States in the last six months.

Kim Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received no reports of any such support in the period referred to.
	On the third point of the hon. Member's question, it is the longstanding policy of the Government not to comment on intelligence matters.

Peru

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports she has received of activity of the Shining Path guerrilla movement in the Ayacucho region of Peru; and what recent representations she has made on tackling illegal coca-growing in that country.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office follows events in Peru closely through our embassy in Lima and with our EU partners. We are aware of the recent events that took place in Ayacucho. The UK has regular discussions with the Peruvian authorities about terrorism and drugs, including the alleged links between remnants of Shining Path and the illegal drugs trade. We also support a number of projects on drugs and crime prevention, at national and regional level. In October this year the Head of the Peruvian National Commission for Development and Life Without Drugs, the government agency tasked with co-ordinating national drugs policy, visited the UK. Following a series of meetings, further areas of co-operation were identified.

Sierra Leone

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what steps the United Kingdom is taking to help monitor the Sierra Leone elections  (a) unilaterally,  (b) through the EU and  (c) through the UN; and what representations she has received on this matter;
	(2)  what steps the UK Government are taking to ensure free and fair elections in Sierra Leone; and what representations her Department has received on the participation of international observers in those elections.

Ian McCartney: The Government view credible elections in Sierra Leone in July this year as crucial to consolidating the post-conflict peace and stability there. Practical support to Sierra Leone's National Electoral Commission (NEC) is a high priority and we have committed 4 million to the UN Development Programme's basket fund, which finances the NEC and contributes to the cost of the elections. It is essential that Sierra Leoneans should be able to participate fully in the elections and that the result should reflect their choices. To this end, the UK is implementing a 2.5 million programme of electoral support that will provide training for political parties, strengthen the capacity of national and local media to cover the elections and address the gender disparity surrounding elections. Our high commission in Freetown is also working with the full range of political and civil society to support free and credible elections.
	Effective election monitoring will also play an important role in the elections. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development (DFID) received representations on this issue from the interim leader of the People's Movement for Democratic Change, Charles Margai, during his December tour of the UK. Our high commission and the DFID office in Freetown have also discussed election monitoring with the main political parties, the NEC, local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international partners, in order to assure adequate coverage before and during the polls.
	Our 2.5 million electoral programme will support a coalition of national election monitors, the National Elections Watch, which intends to host observers in every polling station in Sierra Leone. DFID will also be funding international election observers through the National Democratic Institute (NDI), an international NGO with expertise in election issues. NDI will host two observer missions prior to elections, one during the voter registration period and another during the campaign period, and one mission of 34 observers on election day. UK Government election observers will also be deployed for the critical phases of the electoral process and for the elections themselves. We have also called, in the EU Africa Working Group, for the deployment of an Election Observation Mission. Additionally, we are also engaging wider partners, including the UN, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Carter Centre, to push for international support for the election monitoring effort.

Somalia

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of recent conflict in Mogadishu; what steps she is taking with  (a) the EU,  (b) the UN and  (c) bilateral relationships, to prevent escalated conflict in Somalia; and what discussions she has held with the (i) Ethiopian Government and (ii) Somali Government based in Baidoa.

Ian McCartney: We are concerned about the conflict in Somalia. With our international partners we are working actively to promote a peaceful resolution to Somalia's difficulties on the basis of a sustainable peace process.
	We have frequent bilateral contacts with the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and countries in the region including Ethiopia. We are working closely with EU partners and in the UN Security Council to achieve peace and stability in Somalia.
	We urge rapid implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1725, adopted unanimously on 6 December 2006, which authorises the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union to establish a protection and training mission in Somalia. In this regard, we look forward to Ethiopia withdrawing its troops from Somalia as quickly as it can, as it has stated it wants to.
	We are also encouraging all parties inside and outside Somalia to use the current opportunity to embed a political process across Somalia as envisaged in the Transitional Federal Charter. We will support the Transitional Federal Institutions and Transitional Federal Government in pursuing this.

Sudan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she expects the hybrid UN-AU peacekeeping force in Darfur to be implemented.

Ian McCartney: The UN-African Union (AU) hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur will be implemented as the third and final phase of increased UN support to the AU mission. We want this to happen as soon as possible. The force was agreed at the High Level Consultation on Darfur in Addis Ababa on 16 November. The first phase is a light support package of logistical and material support that is currently being implemented. It will be followed by a heavy package that is being finalised between the UN and the AU and will prepare the ground for deployment of the full hybrid force. It will be vital that the necessary infrastructure, training and equipment is in place before the full force is deployed.

Uganda

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the second ceasefire extension agreed between the Ugandan Government and the Lord's Resistance Army; what representations she has made on the ceasefire and the Juba peace talks; what discussions she has held with the  (a) UK high commission, Kampala,  (b) African Union and  (c) United Nations on this matter.

Ian McCartney: The mediation process remains fragile. We were encouraged when the Lord's Resistance Army and Government of Uganda delegations returned to Juba in mid-December after a lengthy recess.
	Officials from our high commission in Kampala, along with other representatives of the international community, visited Juba on 14 December to discuss progress with all parties. Subsequent talks between the delegations resulted in a further extension to the cessation of hostilities agreement being signed on 16 December.
	We continue to discuss the mediation process with both the African Union and the UN, most recently on 13 December and 19 December respectively.

Uganda

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Uganda on the Commonwealth Harare Declaration of 1991.

Ian McCartney: The Harare Commonwealth Declaration of 1991 sets out the Commonwealth's commitment to democracy, the rule of law and good governance.
	We do not hold formal talks with the Ugandan Government on the Harare Declaration, but we continue to discuss the importance of promoting good governance, deepening the multi-party political system in Uganda and addressing the long-running conflict in northern Uganda.
	These discussions are regularly held at the highest levels of government, including with the President.

Uganda

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received of the arrest of Dr. Kizza Besigye in Uganda.

Ian McCartney: Following his arrest on 14 November 2005 Dr. Besigye was released on bail on 2 January 2006. On 7 March 2006 High Court Judge Katutsi dismissed the rape charges against Dr. Besigye, saying that the prosecution had failed to prove its case. Dr. Besigye continues to face a number of treason charges in the Ugandan High Court. President Museveni has assured us that due process will be followed.

Uganda

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received of the ruling of the Ugandan Supreme Court on Dr. Kizza Besigye's election petition.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on 29 November 2006,  Official Report, column 744W.

UK-funded Medical Treatment

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of foreign governments have received UK-funded medical treatment since May 1997; and if she will list the countries involved.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
	Successive Governments have not required the national health service to provide statistics on the number of overseas visitorsincluding members of foreign governmentswho have been seen, treated or charged under the provisions of the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989, as amended, nor any costs involved. It is therefore not possible to provide the information requested.

Uruguay and Argentina

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications for the policy of recent tensions between Uruguay and Argentina over a planned mill on the border.

Geoff Hoon: The tensions between Argentina and Uruguay have not affected UK relations with either country. The UK view is that the construction of a cellulose plant at Fray Bentos in Uruguay should be treated on its merits. Accordingly, the UK voted in favour when the project was discussed by the International Finance Corporation on 21 November.

Venezuela

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations the UK Government has made to the government of Venezuela on the Bolivarian missions in that country.

Geoff Hoon: We have not made any representations to the Government of Venezuela on this domestic issue. We welcome the emphasis the Venezuelan government is putting on tackling poverty and the improvements the missions have brought in Venezuela's healthcare and education provision. We do, however, have some concerns about the longer-term sustainability of the missions.

Visas

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of appeals against initial decisions by entry clearance officers on visa applications for each month in 2006.

Ian McCartney: There is no separate calculation that shows the actual cost of an appeal against a specific decision to refuse an entry clearance.

Zimbabwe

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received of the possible postponement of Zimbabwe's presidential elections; and what discussions she has had with  (a) the UK Embassy in Harare and  (b) her counterparts in other countries on those reports.

Ian McCartney: At their December Party conference, ZANU(PF) took note of a resolution to postpone the presidential elections to 2010 and merge them with the parliamentary elections. The resolution has now been referred to the ZANU(PF) Central Committee. We are concerned that Mugabe will use this resolution to extend his current term of office from 2008 to 2010 reference to the Zimbabwean people. Our embassy in Harare discussed the ZANU(PF) Conference with other EU Heads of Mission on 19 December.
	It is clear that what Zimbabwe requires is a truly democratically elected government that is determined to work for its people, and is committed to economic and governance reform: the economy has shrunk by 30 per cent. in the last five years; young Zimbabweans will be lucky to live past their 40th birthday; those made homeless by Operation Murambatsvina are living in poor, overcrowded conditions without proper access to food and medicine; and law enforcement authorities continue to respond to peaceful demonstrators with brutal violence and torture. Whoever governs Zimbabwe, it is clear that a dramatic change of policy direction is required.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports she has received of comments made by the President of Uganda on Zimbabwe's land policy; and what assessment she has made of the effect of those comments on the situation in Zimbabwe.

Ian McCartney: We continue to call on African leaders to speak out against Mugabe's bad policies. We are not aware of any recent public statements by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, on Zimbabwe's land policy. But independent surveys of the fate of Zimbabwe's agricultural population tell a tragic story: 75 per cent. of farm workers and their dependants have been forced out of their farmland homes. These people, who number at least two million, now live marginal lives without income, access to proper shelter, food or medicine. We fear that many of these people have died. We are concerned that the Gazetted Land Act, which Mugabe signed into law in December, will be used as an unjust pretext for further intimidation and attacks on farmers, with more damage to Zimbabwe's economy.
	We have always said that we would support a land reform programme that was transparent, fair and legal and that was carried out within a macro-economic framework that formed part of a wider Zimbabwe Government programme to reduce poverty.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Barker Review

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received on the Barker Review of Land Use Planning.

Yvette Cooper: Kate Barker published the final report of her independent Review of Land Use Planning on 5 December 2006. The Government have welcomed Kate Barker's report and will set out in a White Paper in spring 2007 our proposals in response to her recommendations for improving the speed, responsiveness and efficiency of land use planning.
	In the meantime, the Government have said they will be interested to hear responses to the report. To date, the Department has received about 15 responses from a range of bodies and individuals.

Building Standards

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to give more powers to local authorities to impose higher building standards with regards to  (a) insulation,  (b) energy efficiency and  (c) built-in micro-generation.

Angela Smith: In Building a Greener Future, published for consultation on 13 December 2006, we set out our policy framework for moving towards zero-carbon development. In doing so, our aim is to provide certainty for the development industry and other related businesses without over-regulating the sector. With an ambitious national framework in place to strengthen building regulations, local authorities should not need to devise and impose their own detailed standards for the environmental performance of individual buildings. The draft Planning Policy Statement (PPS) on climate change, published for consultation alongside Building a Greener Future, recognises there may be local development or site specific opportunities to justify higher levels of building performance than set out nationally. The draft PPS sets out what is expected of local planning authorities in considering and justifying any local approach.

Church of Scientology

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the eligibility of the Church of Scientology for non-domestic rate relief; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Local Government Finance Act 1988 set out the eligibility criteria for non-domestic rate reliefs. It is for local billing authorities to decide whether to grant rate relief in any given circumstance based on the facts of the individual case.

Compensation Payments

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much in compensation payments was paid by her Department in 2005-06; and what the reason for the payment was in each case.

Angela Smith: Compensation payments totalling some 941,061.32 were paid by the former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) in 2005-06. The vast majority of this amount (935,041.66) was in respect of 47 personal injury claims, mainly relating to former Property Services Agency (PSA) staff who have contracted an asbestos related disease as a result of occupational exposure; and 5,889.68 was to cover four claims for repair costs following damage to hire vehicles.

Consultants

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by her Department since its creation; and what the expected costs are for 2006-07.

Angela Smith: Communities and Local Government has engaged external professional services to provide advice, and specialist design, development and implementation skills in response to the need to develop sustainable homes and communities. The skills required were not available from civil servants. The budget for external professional services for 2006-07 is 64,376,748 and the spend to date is 31,844,679. The budget reflects the current expected outturn for the year and is likely to change as the year progresses to reflect the needs of the Department.
	Specialist skills including project management, finance, engineering, technology specification, building specification and design, security and resilience have been engaged to support the delivery of projects to enhance the ability of the Fire and Rescue Service to respond to major incidents. The work undertaken includes radio engineering expertise for the new radio systems for the Fire and Rescue Service; also, logistical support and design for responding to chemical, biological, radioactive or nuclear incident, and search and rescue incidents. Around 60 per cent. of expenditure has been in support of these projects.

Consultants

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her Department's annual budget is for employing workers on a consultancy basis; and how much of this budget was used in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Angela Smith: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	Communities and Local Government has engaged external professional services to provide advice, and specialist design, development and implementation skills in response to the need to develop sustainable homes and communities. The skills required were not available from civil servants.
	Specialist skills including project management, finance, engineering, technology specification, building specification and design, security and resilience have been engaged to support the delivery of projects to enhance the ability of the Fire and Rescue Service to respond to major incidents. The work undertaken includes radio engineering expertise for the new radio systems for the Fire and Rescue Service; also, logistical support and design for responding to chemical, biological, radioactive or nuclear incident, and search and rescue incidents. Around 60 per cent. of expenditure has been in support of these projects.
	
		
			  Financial year  Budget ()  Spend () 
			 2006-07 64,376,748 (1)31,844,679 
			 2005-06 60,115,563 53,000,000 
			 2004-05 81,518,452 80,000,000 
			 2003-04 n/a 47,000,000 
			 2002-03 n/a n/a 
			 (1 )To date

Council Houses

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what factors were taken into account when setting the cap on the discount available to council house residents in the North West who buy their homes; what assessment was made of variations in house prices between areas in the North West when setting the cap; and if she will take steps to adjust the cap annually in line with house price inflation.

Yvette Cooper: Decisions on the discount in the North West took account of average house prices in the region and the results of the consultation in 1997 and 1998.
	The Government have no plans to change uprating to Right to Buy discount limits. However, it has invited local authorities to consider offering those tenants who are unable to afford outright ownership the opportunity to purchase a share in their homes, under the new Social HomeBuy scheme which it introduced in April 2006. Local authorities may retain all the receipts from sales under Social HomeBuy, to reinvest in affordable housing.

Council Tax

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the causes of changes in the level of council taxes since 1997-98 in  (a) London and  (b) England.

Phil Woolas: Council tax levels are a matter for local councils.
	By 2007-08, the increase in Government grant for local services, since taking office, will be 39 per cent. in real terms and we remain committed to protecting local people from excessive increases in council tax.

Council Tax

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will rank each local authority in England by the percentage of total expenditure met by  (a) council tax and  (b) central government grant in 2005-06.

Phil Woolas: The information requested has been made available in the Library of the House.

E-democracy Conference: Budapest

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department spent on sending officials to attend the local e-democracy conference on the internet and democracy in Budapest in July.

Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 6 November 2006,  Official Report, column 868. The travel and subsistence costs of the officials who spoke at or attended the conference is estimated at under 3,500.

Expanded Open Market HomeBuy Scheme

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the budget is for the Expanded Open Market HomeBuy scheme in each region for each of the next five years; and how many people have  (a) completed purchase of a house through the scheme and  (b) attended (i) a financial interview with a financial adviser and (ii) presentations as compulsory elements of the application process for the scheme in each month since its launch.

Yvette Cooper: The Expanded Open Market HomeBuy scheme was launched on 2 October 2006. The following table sets out the current budget for the Expanded Open Market HomeBuy scheme in each region between October 2006 and March 2008.
	
		
			   million 
			  Region  Expanded Open Market HomeBuy (funding allocation, October 2006 to March 2008) 
			 East Midlands 3.0 
			 West Midlands 4.6 
			 East of England 26.3 
			 South East 73.1 
			 London 107.0 
			 South West 7.1 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 2.0 
			 North East 0.7 
			 North West 6.3 
			 Total 230 
		
	
	Funding for the scheme beyond March 2008 to 2011 will be decided following the next spending review.
	The scheme was launched at the beginning of October so only limited figures are available. 4,000 households have been accepted by HomeBuy agents on to the scheme already since it was launched just 10 weeks ago and are now looking for properties or beginning the process of buying a home. The first 42 households have been approved to exchange on their property and the first five households have completed their sales just 10 weeks after the programme was launched. We expect to help up to 10,000 households through the scheme by the end of March 2008.
	We do not hold information centrally on the number of applicants who have attended a presentation and/or an interview with a financial adviser to undergo a financial assessment as part of the application process.
	All applicants to the Expanded Open Market HomeBuy scheme will receive information on the low cost home ownership options available to them, and undergo a financial assessmentalong with other eligibility checksbefore being accepted on to the scheme, but different HomeBuy agents will fulfil these functions in different ways depending on local circumstances, and the scale of delivery in their area.
	Those HomeBuy agents handling large number of applications tend to ask applicants to first attend a presentation on low cost home ownership opportunities in their area, before they visit a financial adviser to undergo the financial check. Those operating on a smaller scale tend to direct applicants to their website for further information, and conduct financial checks in-house.
	Once applicants are accepted on to the scheme, they are strongly recommended to visit a financial adviser of their choosing, before making the decision to proceed with a purchase

Flood Plains: Housing

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate her Department has made of  (a) the number of houses planned for construction on flood plains and  (b) the level of flood protection required to protect houses built on flood plains.

Yvette Cooper: The Department does not collect centrally the number of houses planned for construction on flood plains, which depends on a large number of local decisions. It is a matter that regions and local planning authorities should consider in preparing regional spatial strategies and local development documents, and in taking decisions on individual planning applications.
	Government's aim is to avoid inappropriate development in areas of high flood risk. The new Planning Policy Statement No. 25 directs development away from these areas through a sequential, risk-based approach. More vulnerable development, such as housing, should not be permitted in those areas unless it can be clearly demonstrated that the development will be safe, without increasing flood risk elsewhere and provides wider sustainability benefits that outweigh the flood risk.

Goods/Services: Discrimination

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether publicly funded goods, facilities and services are covered by the proposals on outlawing discrimination in the provision of goods and services.

Meg Munn: The Government published a consultation paper in March setting out proposals for regulations that will prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in the provision of goods and services. The Government will publish a Response to consultation after the Christmas recess in good time for the laying of the regulations to come into force next April, alongside Part 2 of the Equality Act outlawing discrimination on grounds of religion or belief in the provision of goods and services.

Home Inspectors

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many home inspectors are in training.

Yvette Cooper: There are some 4,050 Home Inspectors currently in training. A further 650 have either completed training or are fully qualified.

Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities paid a dowry to registered social landlords taking over their housing stock in each year since 1996; and what the amount was in each case.

Yvette Cooper: Information on dowry payments made by local authorities to RSLs after transfer of their housing stock is not held by this Department.

Housing

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been built on green belt land since May 1997.

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 14 December 2006, Official Report, columns 1278-79W.

Local Government Finance

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect on local council budget plans for 2007-08 of the provisional financial settlement announced on 28 November.

Phil Woolas: The provisional financial settlement announced on 28 November confirms the increased investment in local services in 2007-08. Total Government grant will be 65.764 billion, an increase of 3.1 billion or 4.9 per cent. on 2006-07 on a like-for-like basis. This includes an extra 508 million above existing spending plans following joint work with the Local Government Association to identify pressures and the ways that they can be mitigated. Our proposals enable local authorities to deliver effective services without the need to impose excessive council tax. These provisional figures have been available to local authorities for the last year, facilitating the practice of advance planning and budgeting based on predictability. The deadline for comments on our proposals is 5 January.

Local Government Finance

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what proportion of local authorities have been in  (a) negative and  (b) positive housing subsidy situations in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many local authorities were in an  (a) negative and  (b) positive housing subsidy position in each of the last 10 years; and what sums were involved in each case.

Yvette Cooper: Figures showing the positive and negative subsidy situations for local housing authorities in England for the ten years 1994-95 to 2004-05 (the last year for which audited figures are available) have been included in a table which has been placed in the House Library.
	The housing revenue account subsidy system assesses each authority's notional income and notional need to spend in each year; where assumed income is greater than the assumed need to spend, the subsidy entitlement is shown as 'negative subsidy' and is captured by the system to cover assumed deficits in other authorities' housing revenue accounts. In recent years total surplus amounts redistributed have been smaller than total deficits and the Exchequer has contributed the difference.

Local Government Finance

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities have challenged the population estimates used in calculating the 2007-08 local government funding settlement.

Phil Woolas: The following local authorities have made specific representations regarding the mid-year population estimates: Barking and Dagenham, Brent, East Lindsey, Enfield, Haringey, Hounslow, Lambeth, Leeds, Lewisham, Newham, North Tyneside, Slough, Southwark.

Local Government Pensions

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what progress has been made in discussions between the Local Government Association and the Local Government Employers group in introducing new pension scheme arrangements in England and Wales for local government; and how existing members of local government pension schemes are protected under transitional arrangements;
	(2)  what protection is available for existing members of the local government pension schemes in England and Wales; and what the cut-off date is for full protection for schemes in England and Wales.

Phil Woolas: Since making my written Statement to the House on 23 November 2006 I am aware that several stakeholders, including the Local Government Association and the Local Government Employers, have made good progress in discussions about the reform proposals for a new-look Local Government Pension Scheme. Draft regulations to give effect to my Statement were issued for analysis and comment on 22 December 2006. The closing date for responses is 27 February 2007.
	Other things being equal, the transitional protections effective from 1 October 2006 mean that all members of the Scheme at 30 September 2006 will continue to accrue rights up to 31 March 2008, as if the discriminatory provision had not been removed. Beyond 1 April 2008, members who are 60 and would have satisfied the rule of 85 by 31 March 2016, will be fully protected. Between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2020, actuarial reductions on rights accruing from 1 April 2007 will be phased in to overcome the cliff edge effect for members born either side of a cut off date. It is also proposed in the current consultation that all members of the Scheme will enjoy an improved accrual rate for membership from 1 April 2008.

Places of Worship

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of which constituency has the most places of worship per head of population.

Phil Woolas: The Department for Communities and Local Government has made no estimates of which constituency has the most places of worship per head of population.

Planning

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will end the practice of allowing repeat planning applications for the same site.

Yvette Cooper: Local planning authorities have the power to decline to determine a repeat application where it is the same or similar to an application that has been turned down previously and where they believe it is being submitted to wear down opposition to a development proposal. The power can be exercised where a previous application has been called in and refused by the Secretary of State or has been dismissed on appeal and, since 24 August 2005, where there has been no call in or appeal subject to there having been at least two similar applications refused in the past two years.

Public Opinion Surveys

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what public opinion surveys her Department has commissioned since its creation.

Angela Smith: None.

Regeneration

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding was provided directly by her Department and its predecessor to local authorities in England to support regeneration projects in each year from 2001-02 to 2005-06; and what funding has been allocated for 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Phil Woolas: The Department for Communities and Local Government and its predecessor, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has provided funding to local authorities totalling 3.075 billion for regeneration projects during the period 2001-02 to 2005-06, and has allocated 1.837 billion for the period 2006-07 to 2007-08. A more detailed breakdown of this funding is shown in the following annex (a).
	
		
			  Annex (A): Funding provided by ODPM  DCLG For local authorities to support regeneration projects in England, 2001-06 and allocations for 2006-07 - 2007-08 
			   million 
			   Actual expenditure  Allocation  Provision  
			  Programme name  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  Overall total 
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) 200 300 400 450 525 525  2,400 
			 Neighbourhood Management Pathfinders (NMPs) 3 7 14 22 19   65 
			 New Deal for Communities (NDCs) 81 178 239 283 274 277 250 1,582 
			 Wardens 10 19 24 20 8   80 
			 Local Area Agreements (LAAs)  110 635 745 
			 Safer Stronger Communities Fund (SSCF)  40  40 
			 Overall totals for ODPM and DCLG 294 504 677 775 826 952 885 4,912 
			 Notes: 1. CENs, NMPs, Neighbourhood Element and LEGI all absorbed by LAAs from 2006-07 onwards. 2. NRF and SSCF absorbed by LAAs from 2007/08 onwards. Source: Kurt Horder (PC LMAT) - 2/1/2007

Regeneration: Liverpool

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department spent on regeneration projects in Liverpool in each year since 1997; which projects received more than 5 million; what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of each project; and what funding she has allocated for future regeneration projects in Liverpool.

Yvette Cooper: Since 1997, Liverpool has seen significant improvements in housing, infrastructure and economic and social development. Last year (2005-06) through New Heartlands, the Housing Market Renewal (HMR) scheme, there were in excess of 1,300 new homes constructed and over 1,600 homes refurbished in Liverpool. There was also an additional 10.5 million of private sector funding invested within the Liverpool pathfinder area, of which 4.2 million went specifically into HMR projects.
	Liverpool John Lennon airport, one of the fastest growing airports in the UK, received European objective 1 funding towards increasing terminal capacity and improving passenger and public transport facilities. The airport is a key economic driver in the regeneration of the area, and direct on and off-site employment at the airport has risen from 500 employees in 1997 to 2,350 in 2005.
	Under the 2000-06 Programme of European objective 1 funding in Merseyside, over 1,700 projects have been approved, in excess of 37,000 jobs have been created and over 6,000 business start-ups have been assisted.
	Social improvements are demonstrated by the city's progress towards narrowing the gap against key national floor target indicators. Particular progress has been made in education, housing and liveability, which has seen the gap reduce from 11.3 in 2003-04 to 8.6 in 2004-05. Furthermore, the overall Liverpool employment rate has increased at a higher rate than the UK average, 1.3 per cent. compared to 0.3 per cent.
	In addition, GVA growth in Liverpool (1998 to 2003) outstripped the national average rate. Liverpool has also seen a significant expansion in knowledge-based employment and benefited from substantial private sector investment in its tourism infrastructure.
	The total funding Communities and Local Government has invested in Liverpool for regeneration projects since 1997 is in excess of 670 million. Additionally Liverpool is also eligible to benefit from a further 393.3 million which Communities and Local Government has invested into the wider Merseyside region. The European objective 1 programme (2000-06) also provides a further 910 million for investment in Merseyside and Liverpool will benefit from this investment.
	We do not hold the total figures of regeneration spend for Liverpool in every funding stream since 1997 on an annual basis. However, the following table details the main regeneration funding since 1997, available directly to Liverpool or from which Liverpool can benefit.
	
		
			   Regeneration funding 
			 New Deal for Communities: 10-year scheme: 62 million in Kensington, Liverpool (ends 2010) 
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund: 167.76 million 2001eight including a residual NRF allocation 
			 Community Empowerment Networks 6.1 million over six years 2001 to 2007 paid to CVS as Accountable Body. 519,185 in final year paid through Safer, Stronger Communities Fund 
			 Neighbourhood Element/Cleaner Safer Greener Element 4.7 million 2006-10 for Neighbourhood Element. 2.1 million 2006-08 Cleaner Safer Greener element. Both paid through the Safer Stronger Communities Fund 
			 Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder 184 million 2004-08 covering inner Liverpool, South Sefton and Birkenhead/Tranmere in Wirral. Paid in two tranches, 86 million in the first and 98 million in the second 
			 Liverpool Housing Action Trust 260 million 1992 to 2005 
			 Liverpool Vision URC 167.8 million 1999-2007. Funding from English Partnerships (63.5 million) and North West Development Agency (104.3 million) 
			 English Partnerships (Merseyside) 85.1 million on major strategic investment projects and HMR-related activity up to 2008 
			 NWDA (Merseyside) 56.2 million on major strategic investment projects 
			 Single Regeneration Budget 68 million 1999 to 2007 (NWDA) 
		
	
	European money is routed via Government Office for the North West on behalf of Whitehall departments, and during the period specified the following major projects, administered on behalf of Communities and Local Government, received grant funding in excess of 5 million. Additionally, three European projects valued at over 5 million, administered on behalf of DTI and DFT, also benefited Liverpool.
	
		
			  European objective 1 (2000-06), Communities and Local Government projects over 5 million grant 
			   
			  Project name  Total cost  ERDF( 1)  grant 
			 Kings Waterfront RedevelopmentPhase 2 131,100,000 45,962,000 
			 Liverpool Neighbourhood Renewal Programme 32,000,000 16,000,000 
			 Liverpool South Parkway 32,000,000 10,823,000 
			 Merseytram Pre Development Costs Lines 1, 2 and 3 20,876,258 10,438,129 
			 NWDAEdge Lane Acquisitions 20,839,336 10,419,668 
			 Centre For Tropical and Infectious Diseases (CTID) 24,100,828 9,000,000 
			 New AnfieldStanley Park Regeneration 24,631,214 9,000,000 
			 Edge Lane Improvement Scheme 27,750,000 8,262,000 
			 Airport Development Phase III 21,500,000 7,852,646 
			 Cruise Liner Facility Construction and Operation 16,856,502 7,089,540 
			 The Liverpool Canal Link 16,848,330 6,739,332 
			 Capital of Culture Phase 3 14,844,183 5,126,713 
			 Museum of Liverpool 31,831,000 5,000,000 
			 Liverpool Airport Phase IV Development 12,500,000 5,000,000 
			 Sentinel and Unity (Sentinel Office/Mixed Use Development) 26,605,891 5,000,000 
		
	
	
		
			   
			  Project name  Total cost  ESF( 2)  grant 
			 LNRP Measure 27 12,000,000 6,000,000 
			 LNRP Measure 26 11,600,000 5,800,000 
			 LNRP Measure 25 11,200,000 5,600,000 
			 (1) European Regional Development Fund. (2) European Social Fund. 
		
	
	During the 1994-99 programme, 8 million of ERDF grant was allocated to the Liverpool Airport Development Phase 2.
	Additionally, the following table details the funding granted to wider Merseyside projects, which will also benefit Liverpool.
	
		
			   
			  Project name  Total cost  ERDF grant 
			 Special Investment Fund 2 99,039,000 36,000,000 
			 Extension to ERDF Project 00/41 By the Addition of the Liver 26,700,000 20,000,000 
			 Business Growth and Development for Greater Merseyside 30,037,256 12,007,746 
			 Merseyside: Growing with confidence 15,000,000 6,000,000 
			 Make It Merseyside 13,290,000 5,296,000 
		
	
	
		
			   
			  Project name  Total cost  ESF grant 
			 GMLSCMerseyside Measure 15 29,200,000 14,600,000 
			 GMLSCMerseyside Measure 14 24,807,237 11,113,642 
			 LSCGM 2005-08 Measure 4 30,030,030 10,000,000 
			 LSCGM 2005-08 Measure 12 30,030,030 10,000,000 
			 GMLSC Measure 4 29,948,000 9,840,000 
			 GMLSC Measure 12 26,998,770 8,854,629 
			 LSCGMMerseyside 2005-08 13,000,000 6,500,000 
		
	
	In respect of European investment, of the funding that remains to be formally approved under the 2000-06 programme, around 24 million has been allocated for future regeneration projects in Liverpool, although the projects earmarked to take up this funding have yet to be formally appraised and approved.
	A further 468 million of European Competitiveness, Phasing-in funding, has been allocated to the whole of Merseyside for the 2007-13 Programming period, of which 281 million is ERDF and 187 million is ESF. At this stage it is not possible to estimate what proportion of the funding will be invested in Liverpool.
	In terms of evaluation, each of these European projects have been subject to detailed and rigorous appraisal prior to funding being agreed. After that, during the implementation phase, they are subject to performance monitoring by the responsible agencies and in many cases audit. In addition, the programmes themselves are subject to review and evaluation, in order to ensure they are yielding the outputs and outcomes expected. The effectiveness of each European Programme as a whole is also reviewed at its halfway stage through a comprehensive 'Mid-term Evaluation' and on closure through an 'Ex-post Evaluation'.
	All other programmes are subject to monitoring and evaluation to review the effectiveness of the investment, for example, Communities and Local Government have not long concluded an evaluation of the URC, Liverpool Vision.

Renewable Energy

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, column 185W, on renewable energy, what figure this represents as a percentage of total kWh used by her Department; and what plans her Department has to increase the amount of energy acquired from renewable sources.

Angela Smith: On 12 June 2006 my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced new sustainable operations targets for the Government Estate. Government Departments are mandated within the new targets to source at least 10 per cent. of electricity from renewables (such as wind, wave, tidal, solar, thermal and photovoltaics (PV's)) by March 2008.
	In the year 2005-06, the amount of renewable energy as a percentage of total kWh used by the Department is as follows:
	
		
			  Renewable energy consumed (kWh) 
			   Percentage 
			 Headquarter buildings 99 
			 Agencies 52 
		
	
	These figures have yet to undergo independent verification and so must be regarded as provisional.
	This answer does not include the buildings occupied by Government Offices, who carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.
	Communities and Local Government and its Agencies review the proportion of energy purchased from renewable resources on an annual basis. This review takes into consideration factors such as cost, market forces and Government commitments.

Repossessions and Evictions

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many privately owned houses have been repossessed in the past three years; how many evictions there were from private rented accommodation over the same period; what assessment she has made of the reasons for each; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The Department for Constitutional Affairs collect data relating to mortgage and landlord possession actions in county courts for England and Wales. The data cover both local authority and private mortgages and social and private landlord actions. The figures do not indicate how many houses have been possessed through the courts either by mortgage lenders or landlords.
	The number of possessions of mortgaged properties in the UK is available on the Council of Mortgage Lenders website at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/filegrab/lAP4.xls?ref=2753
	A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
	The figures since 1990 are as follows:
	
		
			  Properties taken into possession in period 
			   Number  Percentage of all loans 
			 1990 43,890 0.47 
			 1991 75,540 0.77 
			 1992 68,540 0.69 
			 1993 58,540 0.58 
			 1994 49,210 0.47 
			 1995 49,410 0.47 
			 1996 42,560 0.40 
			 1997 32,770 0.31 
			 1998 33,870 0.31 
			 1999 29,990 0.27 
			 2000 22,870 0.20 
			 2001 17,310 0.15 
			 2002 11,970 0.11 
			 2003 7,700 0.07 
			 2004 6,030 0.05 
			 2005 10,310 0.09

Section 106 Agreements

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether her Department defines Section 106 agreements as a tax.

Yvette Cooper: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not define what is a tax or not. The definition of tax is part of the national accounts, which are compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). ONS's National Accounts Classification Committee has not considered planning obligations.

Solar Panels

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she is taking to simplify the planning process for the installation of solar power panels on domestic properties.

Yvette Cooper: The Government believe the planning system should make it easier to install microgeneration technologies, including solar panels. We are currently reviewing the regulations on what equipment a householder can install without having to apply for planning permission. Our aim is to produce a system that is both clearer and permits more microgeneration. We will be consulting on proposals in the new year.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Responsibility to Protect

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to implement the United Nations' policy initiative responsibility to protect.

Gareth Thomas: The responsibility to protect concept, endorsed at the 2005 UN World Summit, made clear that individual states hold the primary responsibility to protect their own populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. The international community also confirmed its readiness to act, collectively, to prevent and stop such crimes, through the United Nations. Such action includes using appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means, including sanctions. On a case by case basis, should peaceful means be inadequate and national authorities manifestly fail to protect their populations, the UN Security Council may authorise the use of force.
	Since the World Summit, the UN Security Council has adopted resolutions on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict and on Darfur, both of which refer to the World Summit agreement on the responsibility to protect. In addressing the situation in Darfur, we have also used diplomacy and applied political pressure; reminded the Sudanese Government of their own responsibility to the people of Darfur; worked through the Security Council to apply sanctions; referred the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court; and are working on UN support to the African Union Mission in Sudan.
	Through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool, the UK is also supporting an NGO network to raise the profile of responsibility to protect with national governments and civil society, particularly in Africa.
	The Government will continue to advocate appropriate and speedy responsesbilaterally, within the EU and UN, and at the Security Councilto protect vulnerable populations against genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.

Afghanistan

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what role his Department had in formulating the UK contribution to the Bonn Accords on the Afghan constitution; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Based on the Bonn Agreement, the constitution-making process in Afghanistan essentially followed a three-stage process: (i) drafting of a preliminary Constitution by the Constitutional Drafting Commission; (ii) deliberation on, refinement, finalisation and distribution of the first draft Constitution by the Constitutional Commission; and (iii) the adoption of the Constitution by the Constitutional Loya Jirga.
	DFID contributed 650,000 to help fund a public consultation programme on the draft Constitution before the adoption of the document by the Constitutional Loya Jirga on 4 January 2004. A further 500,000 was also spent on outreach programmes to make the wider community aware of the purpose of the Constitution and provided a reasonable understanding of its key features.
	The adoption of the new Constitution ensured a presidential system of government with a bicameral parliament. The document contains explicit recognition of equal rights for women and men and paved the way for national elections and the development of democratic institutions.

Aid Expenditure

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of UK's GDP was used for international aid in each of the last 10 years.

Hilary Benn: International Aid figures are reported as a percentage of Gross National Income (GNI) and the UK figures for the last 10 years are listed in the following table.
	Further information on UK international aid as a percentage of GNI is published in Table 5 of Statistics on International Development 2001/02-2005/06, a copy of which is available in the Library.
	
		
			   Official development assistance (ODA)  Other official flows (OOF)  Official aid( 1)  Total  GNI  Total as a percentage of GNI 
			 1996 2,050 52 232 2,334 762,853 0.31 
			 1997 2,096 -69 206 2,233 811,797 0.28 
			 1998 2,332 -33 262 2,561 869,706 0.29 
			 1999 2,118 -15 252 2,355 904,737 0.26 
			 2000 2,974 -47 290 3,217 954,054 0.34 
			  1,005  
			 2001 3,179 2 320 3,501 313 0.35 
			  1,069  
			 2002 3,281 -3 329 3,607 839 0.34 
			  1,132  
			 2003 3,847 30 428 4,306 938 0.38 
			  1,202  
			 2004 4,302 -85 455 4,672 075 0.39 
			  1,253  
			 2005 5,923 -54 416 6,285 561 0.50 
			 (1 )Official Aid ceased to exist from 2005 for OECD-DAC reporting purposes. However, the UK Government still give aid to countries that would previously been classified as Official Aid, such as Russia and new EU member countries.

Aid Expenditure

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Government has spent on aid projects in  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq in each of the last five years.

Hilary Benn: UK Bilateral Aid and the Imputed share of Multilateral Expenditure for Afghanistan and Iraq for each of the last five years for which data are available is set out in the following tables.
	The full breakdown of Bilateral Aid is published in Table 12.3 of Statistics on International Development 2001/02-2005/06, a copy of which is available in the Library.
	
		
			  Table 1: Total spending in Afghanistan and Iraq over the last five years 
			  000 
			   Development assistance( 1)  Humanitarian assistance  Total DFID bilateral programme  Aid from other UK official sources( 2)  Total bilateral gross public expenditure 
			  Afghanistan  
			 2001-02 53 49,943 49,996 31 50,027 
			 2002-03 30,292 44,253 74,546 1,472 76,018 
			 2003-04 69,225 10,457 79,683 19,912 99,595 
			 2004-05 72,522 7,067 79,589 19,370 98,959 
			 2005-06 95,040 3,390 98,430 28,519 126,949 
			   
			  Iraq( 3)  
			 2001-02  7,760 7,760  7,760 
			 2002-03  18,853 18,853  18,853 
			 2003-04 99,261 110,052 209,313 5,000 214,313 
			 2004-05 27,724 21,383 49,107 342,400 391,507 
			 2005-06 82,105 4,764 86,869 339,380 426,249 
			 (1) Includes financial aid, technical cooperation, grants and aid in kind, and total DFID debt relief. (2) Includes non-DFID debt relief, British Council, and the Global Conflict Pool. (3 )Recorded flows to Iraq before 2003-04 are humanitarian assistance provided through UN agencies and Civil Society Organisations for Iraqi citizens. No aid was provided to the Government of Iraq during that period.  Source: Statistics on International Development 2001/02 - 2005/06. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2 : Imputed multilateral shares for Afghanistan and Iraq 
			   million 
			   EC  Other  UN  World Bank  Grand total 
			  Afghanistan  
			 2000 2.6 0.0 1.3 0.0 4.0 
			 2001 5.4 0.0 1.3 0.0 6.7 
			 2002 11.5 2.9 2.1 0.0 16.5 
			 2003 14.3 3.0 1.4 0.0 18.7 
			 2004 21.3 1.5 4.0 0.0 26.7 
			   
			  Iraq  
			 2000 1.1 0.0 0.4 0.0 1.4 
			 2001 1.3 0.0 0.4 0.0 1.8 
			 2002 1.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 1.7 
			 2003 4.2 0.0 1.1 0.0 5.3 
			 2004 13.8 0.0 0.5 0.0 14.3

AIDS

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the outcome of the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions talks with pharmaceutical companies on the availability of affordable HIV/AIDS treatments in  (a) developing countries and  (b) least developed countries.

Gareth Thomas: We welcome any serious attempt at getting AIDS drugs more accessible and affordable for those who need them. Partnerships between employers, unions and manufacturers are an integral part of what is needed to see progress in tackling HIV and AIDS in developing countries.
	We have not made a detailed assessment of the impact of the outcome of the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions talks with pharmaceutical companies on the availability of affordable HIV/AIDS treatments. We would certainly encourage the pharmaceutical sector to do all it can to make essential drugs more easily available and affordable to poor countries.
	This is why in 2005, the Department for International Development (DFID) published a framework for good practice in the pharmaceutical industry to help increase access to essential medicines that treat diseases of poverty including HIV/AIDS in all developing countries. DFID continues to subscribe to the framework's principles and welcomes all efforts to improve both access and affordability, including through differential pricing and negotiating agreements to lower the price of HIV/AIDS treatments. Our support to UNITAID, the new drug purchase facility, is helping to do this, most recently with the assistance of the Clinton Foundation.
	We hope that it will be possible for both parties to reopen negotiations at some stage in the future, given the potential benefits overall. Trade Unions as well as companies play a vital role in efforts to tackle AIDS. Working with employees in large, small and medium sized companies, in the formal and informal sectorsand in the public and private sectorsTrade Unions can support the implementation of effective company work place policies. In turn this will ultimately reduce the impact of AIDS on employees and businesses.

BBC World Service Trust

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects have been launched by his Department in collaboration with the BBC World Service Trust since 2002.

Hilary Benn: Since 2002 DFID has launched 10 projects in collaboration with the BBC World Service Trustthe details are outlined in the chart as follows:
	
		
			  Country  Project title  Start date  End date  Commitment ()  Purpose 
			 Afghanistan Media Development February 2002 May 2002 1,000,000 Humanitarian response to provide equipment, training to journalists and technicians, and to provide capacity for sustained media development. 
			 Burma Mandalay Road January 2003 September 2006 1,998,000 A soap opera to raise awareness about health care including HIV/AIDS among population. 
			 Cambodia Strengthening Response to HIV/AIDS January 2003 December 2007 3,300,000 Implementation of Government led mass media initiative around HIV/AIDS 
			 Nigeria DFID Nigeria / BBC World Service Partnership June 2003 August 2007 5,466,000 Raise awareness among poor rural people to better governance, public services and livelihoods. 
			 Iraq 'Al Mirbad' February 2004 March 2007 7,520,000 To establish an Iraqi managed broadcasting station for the four provinces of southern Iraq. 
			 Bangladesh BBC The State of Nation Debates November 2005 December 2006 620,000 Broadcasting public debates on governance issues 
			 Africa Regional Africa Media Development Initiative (AMDI) January 2006 January 2007 417,000 To support Africa media practitioners develop evidence based policy to allow the media to play a full role in Africa's developmentas recommended by the Commission for Africa 
			 Sudan Support to the BBC World Service Trust in Darfur June 2006 November 2006 401,000 Promotion of Darfur Peace Agreement among population 
			 Bangladesh Sanglap II September 2006 June 2007 665,000 Broadcasting public debates on governance issues 
			 Global Global Advocacy Campaign for ICD November 2006 March 2011 2,500,000 To advocate the importance of Information and Communication for Development in supporting effective development to the international development assistance community

British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he last visited each overseas territory; and what plans he has for such visits in 2007.

Hilary Benn: DFID only provides bilateral assistance to three Overseas Territories, Montserrat, St. Helena and Pitcairn. I have not visited them. My hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to whom I have given lead responsibility in the Department for oversight of our work with the Overseas Territories, visited Montserrat in 2004. There are no current plans for visits to Overseas Territoriesin 2007.

British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to increase his Department's disbursements to British Overseas Territories in 2007.

Gareth Thomas: For all programmes, budgets for 2007-08 are currently being reviewed. Any changes to the expenditure plans indicated in the DFID 2006 departmental report will be included in the 2007 report. Budgets for 2008-09 to 2010-11 will be set after the Comprehensive Spending Review.
	Decisions on allocations to individual territories will be taken following annual budget discussions with the territories concerned. These discussions were held with Montserrat in November 2006, and are due to take place with Pitcairn and St. Helena in January and February 2007 respectively, with final decisions for each reached by April 2007.

British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has to further improve transport links to promote the tourism industry in the British Overseas Territories; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: DFID currently provides development assistance to three Overseas Territories, Montserrat, St. Helena (including Tristan da Cunha) and Pitcairn. Following completion of Gerald's airport in 2005, the next priority for improving transport links to Montserrat will be the improvement of the port at Little Bay. The project is currently at the design stage. It is expected to be jointly funded by DFID and the European Union (EU), and may include an extension to the existing jetty and construction of a breakwater. The cost will depend on the options selected, but could be up to 10 million.
	In March 2005, I announced the development of air access for St. Helena, through construction of an airport on Prosperous Bay Plain, and introduction of scheduled flights. The new airport will both meet our commitment to maintaining access, and contribute to economic regeneration through tourism. The project includes significant funding for tourism marketing. The project budget cannot be divulged in order not to prejudice the current procurement competition for the construction works. We also plan, with joint funding from the EU, to develop Jamestown Wharf. Currently the Wharf is the single point of entry to the island for all cargo and passengers. The proposed project addresses the need to improve cargo operations and to develop safe landing facilities for St. Helenians, business visitors and tourists. Costs will be about 11.5 million.
	In Tristan da Cunha, DFID, with joint EU funding, is currently rehabilitating Calshot harbour. Repairs to Tristan's harbour and breakwater were last carried out over 10 years ago and continuous wave action and storm damage now threaten to cause permanent damage to the island's only point of entry. Total project cost is about 3 million.
	Plans for the construction of a breakwater on Pitcairn, again with joint EU funding, are well advanced. Consultants have been appointed to prepare a detailed design and costing, estimated to be about 6 million. A breakwater would provide more predictable and safer access to Pitcairn Island through Bounty Bay. This in turn will promote tourism on the island by increasing the opportunities for cruise ships, yachts and other ships to disembark passengers.

Carbon Emissions

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what account he takes of forecast carbon emissions from proposed projects when distributing funding in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Projects funded by DFID by themselves have a very small effect on global emissions. They are part of a much wider development effort. We are therefore supporting developing countries to develop energy strategies to improve access to services while taking climate change into account. DFID's work with the World Bank and other development agencies allows us to influence these processes to the sustainable benefit of the poorest people in developing countries.
	DFID is providing assistance to the World Bank and other regional development banks to develop a framework for accelerating public and private investment in low carbon energy in developing countries. We have committed 6.9 million over three years from 2005 to support this work.
	DFID has committed 140 million to the Global Environment Facility fourth replenishment (2006-10), making the UK the fourth largest donor. A third of the Global Environment facility's funding is used to address climate change. In China for example, GEF is providing more than 18 million to help reduce China's heavy reliance on coal by helping to install five wind farms (190 mega watts) and 200,000 solar-powered systems.

Carbon Offsetting Fund

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department will contribute to the Carbon Offsetting Fund; and where trees that this fund may purchase will be planted.

Gareth Thomas: DFID expects to pay at least 130,000 into the fund.
	The Government Carbon Offsetting Fund, which is managed by DEFRA, will purchase Certified Emission Reductions from Clean Development Mechanism projects. DEFRA have recently announced that EEA Fund Management Ltd. has won the contract to fulfil the Government's obligation to offset its own air travel. Over the next three years, EEA will source and deliver up to 255,000 Certified Emission Reduction creditswith a provision for a further 50,000 creditsfrom a portfolio of small-scale renewable energy and energy efficiency Kyoto-registered projects in countries such as Brazil, Thailand and the Philippines.

CDC Group

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what investments have been made by the CDC Group since 2003.

Gareth Thomas: CDC's investments since 2003, totalling 556.2 million, are listed as follows. They are broken down by region/country and by sector.
	
		
			  CDC new investments  since 2003 
			   million 
			   2004  2005  2006  Total since 2003 
			  By country 
			 Africa region 19.8 8.7 28.3 56.8 
			 Algeria  0.5  0.5 
			 Burkina Faso  1.4  1.4 
			 Burkina Faso and Senegal 3.5 2.1  5.6 
			 Egypt 39.5 2.7  42.2 
			 Ghana  1.3 4.9 6.2 
			 Kenya 1.6 2.3 0.1 4.0 
			 Nigeria 27.9 15.1 3.2 46.2 
			 Rwanda 2.5 (0.3)  2.2 
			 Senegal  2.3  2.3 
			 South Africa 16.3 34.1 19.5 69.9 
			 Tanzania 27.6 2.5 0.6 30.7 
			 Tunisia  11.7  11.7 
			 Uganda  1.5  1.5 
			 Zambia 1.2 2.3 0.3 3.8 
			  
			 Asia Pacific region 0.5 19.1 3.0 22.6 
			 China 12.5 2.4 4.1 19.0 
			 Indonesia  0.9  0.9 
			 Malaysia 4.0 0.6 4.3 8.9 
			 Philippines  0.2 (0.2) 0.0 
			 Papua New Guinea   0.2 0.2 
			 Singapore  5.5  5.5 
			 Solomon Islands 0.7   0.7 
			  
			 Americas region 0.5 0.4 1.8 2.7 
			 Bolivia 26.1 0.7  26.8 
			 British Virgin Islands  0.3  0.3 
			 Costa Rica 1.5 3.8  5.3 
			 Cuba 1.0 0.1  1.1 
			 Dominican Republic   5.1 5.1 
			 Haiti   0.4 0.4 
			 Panama   43.7 43.7 
			 Peru 0.5 0.3 6.2 7.0 
			 St. Lucia  0.7  0.7 
			  
			 South Asia region 2.4 4.2 14.9 21.5 
			 Bangladesh  0.7 4.9 5.6 
			 India 10.0 15.9 23.7 49.6 
			 Pakistan 0.6  17.0 17.6 
			 Sri Lanka  2.6  2.6 
			  
			 Globalpoor(1)  9.1 14.5 23.6 
			  
			 Total 200.2 155.5 200.5 556.2 
			  
			  By sector 
			 Agribusiness 7.7 10.9 1.6 20.2 
			 Financial services 50.3 20.8 73.0 144.1 
			 Infrastructure 17.1 12.2 7.1 36.4 
			 Minerals, oil and gas 5.9 27.8 19.1 52.8 
			 Manufacturing 2.9 50.5 2.4 55.8 
			 Other 5.5 11.6 17.6 34.7 
			 Power 96.6 11.0 76.8 184.4 
			 Telecoms, media and IT 14.2 10.7 2.9 27.8 
			  
			 Total 200.2 155.5 200.5 556.2 
			 (1) Global poor refers to investments in funds that are spread globally or across more than one region.

China

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations the Government have made to the Government of China on the environmental impact of development in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has substantial programmes of co-operation with China in support of achievement of the millennium development goals in three areas: health (TB and HIV and AIDS), basic education, and water resource management, water supply and sanitation. The environmental impact on development is a strong theme throughout, but particularly in the water area.
	DFID also works with China on international development issues, and is involved with the UK-China sustainable development dialogue. This is led by DEFRA, but with strong support from DFID. The four priority themes agreed with the Chinese for the next two years are natural resource management (especially forests, water and soils); sustainable consumption and production; capacity building for sustainable development; and sustainable urban communities. All of these themes address the environmental impacts of development, and involve collaboration and technical exchanges between different departments in the UK and China, as well as a range of small projects involving government, NGOs and the private sector.
	Finally, DFID is a key participant in the UK-China working group on climate change, and plays a particularly strong role in promoting the need to adapt to the anticipated impacts of climate change, through both projects and dialogue.

China

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much UK aid was given to China in each of the last six years; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: Total UK bilateral aid to China in the last six years was as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 2000-01 56.740 
			 2001-02 50.266 
			 2002-03 44.386 
			 2003-04 42.406 
			 2004-05 42.746 
			 2005-06 36.854 
		
	
	In addition the imputed UK share of multilateral aid to China from calendar years 1999 to 2004 (the last year for which information is available) was:
	
		
			million 
			 1999 5.50 
			 2000 37.50 
			 2001 65.50 
			 2002 4.40 
			 2003 98.90 
			 2004 22.50 
		
	
	The UK's bilateral aid to China is concentrated in three main areas: basic education; health, in particular the prevention of tuberculosis and HIV and AIDS; and in water supply and sanitation. We are helping China to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in these sectors. We are also working with China on international development issues, particularly on Africa, sustainable development and climate change, aid harmonisation and effectiveness, and learning from China's successes in reducing poverty.

Cluster Munitions

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which officials from his Department will be attending the conference to discuss a future cluster munition treaty in Oslo on 21st to 23rd February 2007.

Hilary Benn: Final decisions on DFID attendance at the meeting in Oslo have yet to made but it is likely that a member of our Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department will join the UK delegation.

Cluster Munitions

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which Department will be the lead department on the forthcoming Norwegian conference on a future cluster munition treaty.

Hilary Benn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be the lead department. It is likely that representatives from the Ministry of Defence and DFID will also participate.

Conflict Areas

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken by his Department to improve the provision of  (a) education and  (b) healthcare in states affected by conflicts.

Gareth Thomas: DFID does not maintain an agreed list of 'states affected by conflict'. We do have a list of 'fragile states' which we are currently reviewing, as countries frequently move in and out of fragility and conflict, and political circumstances in a country can rapidly change. This list will include countries that are generally recognised to be conflict-affected. Detail on DFID's current definition and list of fragile states can be found in DFID's policy paper, Why We Need to Work More Effectively in Fragile States, page 7 and Annex 1, which is available in the House of Commons Library.
	 (a) Education
	The UK announcement in April to provide 8.5 billion over the next 10 years in support of education will contribute to international efforts to achieve universal primary education by 2015. The Education for All Fast Track Initiative's (FTI) Education Programme and Development Fund will help assist conflict affected states prepare education sector plans for donor support. The FTI is currently piloting support in DRC, Haiti, Liberia, Somalia and Sudan.
	DFID also supports the direct provision of education in a number of countries affected by conflict through United Nations agencies and international non-governmental organisations (INGOS). For example in Somalia DFID has a 3-year partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to increase children's access to education, with a strong focus on getting girls into school. In Burma our partnership with Save the Children UK supports early childhood education which provides safe schooling for young children in some of the poorest conflict-affected communities.
	 (b) Health
	DFID is already providing much more aid to the health sectors in fragile states, with expenditure more than doubling between 2003-04 and 2005-06. Examples include a joint programme for HIV/AIDS in Burma. This has attracted increased funding and made possible a larger-scale national response. In Afghanistan, a multi-donor trust fund, the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) is helping to build government systems while at the same time raising additional finance for basic services such as health, education and water and sanitation that are focused on the poor.
	DFID also contributes to Global Health Funds and Partnerships. An example, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, has committed US $ 1.5 billion in 142 grants in fragile states, accounting for over one-third of total commitments.

Corporate Hospitality

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions he has accepted corporate hospitality in the last 12 months.

Hilary Benn: I have not accepted corporate hospitality on any occasion during the last 12 months. Paragraph 5.28 of the Ministerial Code sets out the rules on the registration of hospitality.

Defence Export Services Organisation

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions his Department has had with the Defence Export Services Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: As a member of the Export Licensing Community which operates the UK system for arms export licensing, DFID maintains regular contact with all other Government Departments in this community, including our counterparts in the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) in the Ministry of Defence. DFID officials also participate in regular discussions with all relevant Departments and agencies, including DESO, on a number of export control policy issues.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hilary Benn: The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) signed up to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in March 2005. Since then important progress has been made in implementing EITI in the DRC. A multi-stakeholder national EITI Committee was established by Presidential Decree in November 2005 charged with ensuring the DRC implementation process complies with EITI criteria. In February 2006, the DRC Government named members of the EITI Committee and allocated a budget for its operations from the Government's finances. In addition, an EITI baseline study for the exploitation of copper, cobalt and diamonds is currently underway.
	However, a lot more work will be needed before EITI is fully implemented in the DRC. Continued political commitment from the newly-elected DRC Government as well as capacity building and improved co-ordination within relevant DRC Government institutions will be crucial. Strong engagement from civil society, private sector and wider international community stakeholders will also be required.
	Support for EITI implementation forms an important plank of DFID's planned support in the minerals sector in DRC. Over coming months, DFID will be working with all EITI stakeholders to develop a package of support aimed at ensuring EITI is successfully implemented in the DRC.

Departmental Equipment

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of his Department's  (a) computers and  (b) laptops were stolen in each of the last nine years; and what the total value was of stolen computers and laptops in this period.

Gareth Thomas: In each of the last nine financial years the number of  (a) computers stolen was Nil and  (b) laptops as follows:
	
		
			   Number of laptops  Value () 
			 1998-99 0 0 
			 1999-2000 3 4,420 
			 2000-01 8 8,679 
			 2001-02 3 3,497 
			 2002-03 7 11,520 
			 2003-04 7 2,341 
			 2004-05 4 5,295 
			 2005-06 5 4,461 
			 2006-07 2 952 
			 Total 39 41,165

Departmental Finance

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was paid by his Department to  (a) the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and  (b) the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation in each year since 2000-01; and how these contributions were classified.

Gareth Thomas: DFID paid 259 million to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria from 2000 to 2006 as follows:
	
		
			  Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria: DFID spend 2000 to 2006 
			million 
			 2000  
			 2001  
			 2002 50 
			 2003 25 
			 2004 33 
			 2005 51 
			 2006 100 
			 Total 259 
		
	
	DFID paid 44.32 million to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation from 2000 to 2006 as follows:
	
		
			 Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation: DFID spend 2000 to 2006 
			million 
			 2000 3 
			 2001 7 
			 2002 7.28 
			 2003 0.28 
			 2004 13.99 
			 2005 0 
			 2006 12.77 
			 Total 44.32 
		
	
	DFID's contributions to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation were classified as bilateral official development assistance. Contributions to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria were classified as multilateral assistance, except for the costs associated with the UK-hosted 2005 Replenishment Conference, which were reported as bilateral official development assistance.

Departmental Finance

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which recipient countries his Department pools funds with other donors to give poverty reduction budget support.

Hilary Benn: DFID generally provides poverty reduction budget support (PRBS) direct to a partner Government account rather than through any intermediary. In this respect DFID financing is not pooled with those from other donors prior to the release of funds to the respective Government account.
	However, in most countries where we deliver PRBS other donors also provide this form of assistance directly to the Government. We work closely with other donors, for example, in many countries a joint Memorandum of Understanding governs the management of the PRBS relationship between Government and donors; performance monitoring frameworks are prepared jointly and jointly assessed and discussed with the Government.

Departmental Finance

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what criteria are used in classifying bilateral aid earmarked for a specific programme as  (a) sector budget support included under budget heading PRBS and  (b) sector wide programmes included under budget heading Other Financial Aid; and how much was allocated to each category in each year since 2000-01.

Hilary Benn: Aid is classified as poverty reduction budget support (PRBS) if it is merged with other domestic resources and accounted for alongside the rest of the partner Government's expenditure through their reporting and accounting systems and reports of the Auditor General. Sector budget support is aid that is earmarked for expenditure either in a particular sector, sub sector, programme, or set of expenditure lines. The general principle is that this is aid which is spent using national or sub-national financial management, procurement and accountability systems. Before deciding to provide sector budget support a fiduciary risk assessment is undertaken to assess the partner Government Public Financial Management Administration systems for the effective use of and accounting for the funds.
	For financial aid to be classified as a sector wide approach (SWAp), the following criteria would need to be met:
	There is a comprehensive sector policy and strategy in place:
	An annual sector expenditure programme and medium term Sectoral Expenditure Framework:
	Donor coordination is government led:
	Major donors can provide support within the agreed framework.
	As well as at least one of the following:
	A significant number of donors committed to moving towards greater reliance on government financial and accountability systems:
	A common approach by donors to implementation and management.
	Figures for DFID expenditure on sector budget support are published in Statistics on International Development, copies of which are available in the Library. The relevant figures are reproduced in Table 1 alongside estimates of DFID expenditure on sector wide approaches.
	
		
			  Table 1: DFID financial aid allocated to sector budget support and sector wide approaches 
			  000 
			   Sector budget support  Sector wide approaches 
			 2000-01 24,098 23,992 
			 2001-02 22,718 35,195 
			 2002-03 23,685 40,986 
			 2003-04 44,724 33,974 
			 2004-05 115,752 23,286 
			 2005-06 195,870 53,286

Departmental Finance

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the 8.5 billion on aid for education announced in April 2006 has been earmarked to promote education for females.

Hilary Benn: In DFID's 2006 White Paper on International Development, Making governance work for the poor, we made a commitment to support special initiatives to get more girls into school. We have just published the first Progress Report of DFID's 2005 girls' education strategy 'Girls' education: towards a better future for all' which provides more details. Copies of the report are being placed in the Library.
	The UK's 8.5 billion funding commitment to education in developing countries will mainly be used to support partner Governments with predictable funding against which they can prepare ambitious 10 year education sector plans to achieve the education millennium development goals. The plans will focus on investment in schools, including recruiting and training more teachers, getting more pupils, including girls and disadvantaged children, into and completing school and improving the quality of education. So at least half of this funding will benefit girls directly or indirectly.
	The development of education sector plans is being led by the developing countries, with donors including the UK contributing. Individual allocations of the 8.5 billion, including special initiatives for girls, will be decided at country level.

Departmental Publications

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many graphic designers his Department employed for the production and publication of its  (a) white papers and  (b) departmental reports in each year since 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: DFID does not employ graphic designers, but contracts graphic design companies or printing firms with a graphic design capacity to design its publications and reports. This includes White Papers and departmental reports. DFID has used one company on its recent White Paper published in 2006, and one company has produced the departmental report annually since 2003. DFID does not have a record of how many people were employed by these firms as graphic designers.

Departmental Studies

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which studies have been commissioned by his Department from  (a) external agencies,  (b) companies,  (c) academics and  (d) individuals in 2006.

Hilary Benn: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Energy

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to develop environmentally sustainable, cost-effective energy sources for use in the developing world.

Gareth Thomas: Improved access to reliable and affordable energy supplies and services is essential for the achievement of international development goals. The poorest countries and regions of the world, such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, have the least access to electricity and to sustainable clean fuels for cooking and heating.
	DFID has been actively engaged with the EU Energy Initiative for Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development (EUEI) since it was launched in 2002. This has the primary aim of improving access to affordable and sustainable energy services to the poor. Alongside five other European Union member states, DFID is providing grant funds to an EUEI technical assistance programme, which is helping developing countries and regional organisations in Africa to prepare energy policies. In addition, DFID supported the launch in 2006 of a 220 million EU Energy Facility, funded from the 9(th) European Development Fund, to improve access to energy in rural areas, mainly in Africa.
	DFID contributes to the Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP), which is managed by the World Bank on behalf of the donors. The goal of the programme is to provide energy solutions to reduce poverty, through improved access to sustainable energy services. New policies and plans for the greater use of renewable energy and improved energy efficiency in developing countries are significant aspects of the programme.
	DFID is also working closely with the World Bank and the regional development banks on a new Investment Framework for Clean Energy and Development. The World Bank and other International Finance Institutions have approved or are developing their Investment Frameworks and these will be implemented in 2007. These new frameworks include measures to help countries move towards lower carbon energy sources, to reduce the growth of greenhouse gas emissions, to adapt to the effects of climate change and to access new carbon credit financing. The World Bank has accepted an offer from DFID of a technical assistance grant to help them implement actions on climate change and clean energy and we are in discussion with the other IFIs on similar support.
	DFID is launching in 2007 a new five-year Energy Research Programme to improve access to energy supplies and services in support of development. This is expected to include the application of renewable energy and other sustainable technologies. This new research programme will build on earlier DFID funded work on renewable energy technologies.

Engagements

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries he has visited since 2003; and for what purposes.

Hilary Benn: The Government publish on an annual basis lists of all travel by Cabinet Ministers costing over 500. Lists covering 2003 to 2005-06 are available in the Libraries of the House. Information for 2006-07 will be published when it is ready.

Furniture

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by his Department on furniture made by British firms in each year since 2000.

Gareth Thomas: DFID procures its furniture from various companies approved under the Office of Government Commerce Framework agreements. We do not maintain records of the ownership of the companies. Furniture is obtained on the basis of value for money and, for timber products, compliance with appropriate environmental standards.

Globaleq

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what acquisition of assets have been made by Globaleq since its establishment.

Gareth Thomas: Since its establishment in June 2002, Globaleq has acquired power generation and distribution assets consistent with its strategy in Africa, Asia and the Americas. The following table provides details of the acquisitions. Subsequent divestment of assets are noted.
	
		
			  Company  Country  Acquisition date  Gross MW  GQ% at acquisition  Equity MW  Fuel  Notes 
			 Kelvin South Africa December 2002 600 95 600 coal divested March 2006 
			 Songas Tanzania May 2003 110 100 110 natural gas  
			 Haripur Bangladesh December 2003 360 100 360 natural gas  
			 Meghnaghat Bangladesh December 2003 450 100 450 natural gas  
			 Cobee Bolivia April 2004 204 100 204 hydro/natural gas  
			 Sidi Krir Egypt November 2004 685 61 418 natural gas Initial acquisition 
			 Umeme Uganda March 2005power distribution  
			 Sidi Krir Egypt May 2005 685 39 267 natural gas Acquisition of balance in Sidi Krir 
			 NEPC Haripur Bangladesh April 2006 115 50 58 natural gas  
			 Fortuna Panama April 2006 300 25 75 hydro  
			 Pedregal Panama April 2006 54 21 11 Fuel Oil  
			 CEPP Dominican Republic April 2006 66 48 32 Fuel Oil  
			 Fauji Kabirwala Pakistan July 2006 157 42 66 natural gas  
			 Nejapa El Salvador December 2006 144 87 125 Fuel Oil  
			  Note: MW = mega watts

HIV/AIDS

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much he has given to the Staying Alive HIV/AIDS prevention campaign in each year since 1998-99.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has provided two grants to the Staying Alive campaign, to support two conferences on finding the best ways to reach young people with messages about HIV prevention and AIDS awareness. DFID provided 18,292 in 2004 and 29,901.75 in 2005.

Indonesia

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the humanitarian consequences of the recent earthquakes in Sumatra; and what aid the UK is sending to  (a) Sumatra and  (b) Banda Aceh.

Gareth Thomas: The earth tremors in that region on 7 December 2006 caused seven deaths, injured about 150 people and damaged or destroyed around 680 houses. Though serious, this scale of impact is well within the competence of the Indonesian authorities to deal with and they have not requested outside assistance.

Iraq

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the level of unemployment in each region of Iraq.

Hilary Benn: The most recent reliable unemployment data available for Iraq comes from the Iraq Living Conditions Survey carried out in 2004 by the Iraqi Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation/United Nations Development Programme. There is no other more recent comparable survey. The 2004 survey found that the core unemployment rate in Iraq was just over 10 per cent. (using the International Labour Organisation definition i.e. looking for but unable to find employment). In 2004, Iraq had a working age population of 16.4 million, but only 6.7 million (41 per cent.) were working or actively seeking work. 6 million of these were employed, leaving 700,000 (around 10 per cent.) unemployed. Unemployment was highest in Baghdad at 13.5 per cent., then the South at 10.8 per cent.; then 9.1 per cent. in the North and the lowest in the centre at 8.2 per cent. The survey also notes that workforce participation is higher in rural areas than urban areas.
	Available data show that Iraq has always had a very low workforce participation rate, in line with other countries in the region. This can be attributed to low participation rates among women (common to other countries in the region) and young men. Young men constitute 15 per cent. of the economically inactive (i.e. above 15-years-old but not seeking employment). The majority of young economically inactive men (68 per cent.) claim they are studying and thus not available to work. 20 per cent. claim that there are no jobs available and have therefore given up looking for work.
	Ongoing violence in Iraq makes job creation difficult, and in particular discourages private investment which could boost employment. DFID is working with the Iraqi Government to ensure that when the security situation improves, the economy is stable and in a position to grow and to generate new jobs.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many information technology projects within the responsibility of his Department, its agencies and their predecessors have been cancelled since 1997; what the total cost was of each project at cancellation; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID has not cancelled any IT projects since 1997.

Kashmir

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received on the diversion of Kashmir earthquake relief funds to support armed Jihadi groups; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: DFID support for post-earthquake relief in Pakistan has been provided to UN agencies, the Red Crescent and reputable local and international NGOs, following assessments undertaken on the ground by DFID staff. Some of the support was provided in kindfor example, to transport relief items donated to charities by the British public, or for emergency shelter items like winterised tents, blankets and other non-food items from our stores.
	The Government of Pakistan has, with UN assistance, established a database to help track official assistance provided by DFID and other donor countries supporting Pakistan's efforts to recover from this tragedy.
	I have not received any reports of DFID funding for the victims of the South Asian Earthquake being diverted to support armed Jihadi groups.

Kenya

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the level of corruption in Kenya.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells) on11 December 2006,  Official Report, column 773W.

Montserrat

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the impact of investigations into the local housing budget locally on budgetary aid to the Government of Montserrat.

Gareth Thomas: A review took place in 2004 of the DFID-funded Self-Build Materials Grant project, designed to help people to construct their own houses in Montserrat in the aftermath of the volcano crisis. The review concluded that, whilst the project appeared to have benefited those people who received support, it was poorly managed locally and inadequately monitored by DFID.
	DFID and the Government of Montserrat (GoM) agreed an action plan in early 2005, comprising a series of measures to avoid similar problems arising in future projects. An internal DFID review in early 2006 concluded that satisfactory progress was being made against the plan.
	The investigations into the Materials Grant project have had no direct impact on the provision of budgetary aid to Montserrat. We are however helping to strengthen financial management systems across GoM. DFID reviewed development assistance for housing projects on the island at the end of 2005, and agreed to provide 1.9 million (EC$9 million) over a three year period to support the provision of housing for the mentally challenged, other vulnerable groups and low-income households at the Lookout housing estate, with the appointment of a housing adviser to help GoM to implement its new housing strategy.

Nepal

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the conditions in temporary camps housing Maoist sympathisers in Nepal.

Gareth Thomas: Following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (21 November 2006) by the Seven Party Alliance and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) and subsequent Agreement on the Monitoring of Arms and Armies (28 November 2006), the combatants of the Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA) are moving to 28 military camps (or cantonments) around Nepal. The Agreements state that here they would be registered by the UN and have their weapons locked up and monitored by the UN. After the holding of Constituent Assembly elections, scheduled for June 2007, these combatants would either be integrated into the Nepal Army or helped reintegrate back into civilian life.
	The Maoists have already moved several thousand of their combatants to the sites of these proposed camps. Given that infrastructure has not yet been set up, the conditions at these sites are extremely basic. As an interim measure, the GON has provided funds directly to the Maoists to enable them to purchase food and basic plastic sheeting shelter for their combatants. Due to Maoist sensitivities and the desire of GON to lead this process, donor projects cannot go to sites and make unilateral assessments.
	However, given the importance of the success of the cantonments of PLA to the peace process, several donors, including DFID have offered the services of their rural infrastructure programmes located in the districts where camps are to be constructed to assist with setting up the camps. Assessments of need are being undertaken now, and the first proposals for providing immediate support are being developed.
	DFID is working with the Government of Nepal to come up with appropriate and affordable solutions for establishment and management of the camps. Given the sensitivities of the parties involved, achieving consensus on the way forward is slow, but progress is being made.

Open-source Software

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what initiatives  (a) promoting and  (b) distributing open-source software in developing countries his Department is engaged in.

Hilary Benn: DFID helped to promote open-source software by assisting with the development of:
	 (a) a toolkit to help governments navigate open-source software policy in Africa. This is available at www.catia.ws
	 (b) a free, open-source software which will allow any website to run over the slowest connection speeds. It allows fast, cheap access to information for those with limited connectivity to the internet. Further information is available at www.loband.org
	Issue 31 of DFID's Developments magazine focused on the role that wireless technology and open source software can play in International Development. Back issues are available on request at publicity@dfid.gov.uk

Procurement Projects

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the 20 largest procurement projects initiated by his Department since May 1997 were; what the  (a) original budget,  (b) cost to date and  (c) consultancy fees were; and what the final cost was of each project which has been completed.

Hilary Benn: The 20 largest projects initiated by DFID since 1997 and delivered using external expertise are given in the following table. The majority of these form part of our development programme and include the provision of services to recipient governments. For this type of project our contracts may increase if DFID extends its programme of support or if new recipient requirements emerge during implementation.
	
		
			  Project title  Country  Original budget ()  Cost (payments made to date) ()  Fees element of payments to date( 1)  ()  Final cost () 
			 Support to Promoting Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS Reduction Nigeria 52,800,000 14,828,756 3,057,778 (2) 
			 Chars Livelihoods Programme: Concept and Management Bangladesh 46,707,735 8,647,812 2,712,683 (2) 
			 Strengthening the Response to HIV/AIDS (Implementation Phase) Nigeria 21,272,017 2,852,269 1,511,472 (2) 
			 Support to the States and Local Government Project Nigeria 20,385,712 16,723,674 4,789,638 (2) 
			 Reviving Routine Immunisation in Northern Nigeria(3) Nigeria 19,000,000 0 0 (2) 
			 Procurement Service Provider for the HIV/AIDS and Health Multisectoral Support Framework South Africa, Republic of 18,190,000 1,578,671 360,000 (2) 
			 Renewable Natural Resources Knowledge Strategy: Crop Project Global, non-specific 16,110,000 16,779,685 2,010,460 16,779,685 
			 Crop Protection Research Programme Management Contract Global, non-specific 15,516,427 15,576,427 1,665,531 15,576,427 
			 Financial Management Reforms Programme Bangladesh 15,380,381 15,178,122 3,941,483 (2) 
			 Promoting Opportunities for Poor People through a Commodity and Service Markets Programme Nigeria 15,062,411 3,205,231 2,316,541 (2) 
			 Support to the Consolidation of Municipal Transformation Programme South Africa, Republic of 13,100,000 3,209,767 721,749 (2) 
			 Contraceptive Social Marketing ProjectPhase 2 Nigeria 12,986,010 14,950,238 2,295,221 14,950,238 
			 Procurement Service Provider for Integrated Provincial Support Programme 2 South Africa, Republic of 12,979,117 13,351,618 768,348 13,351,618 
			 Strengthening Counter Narcotics Institutions of Afghanistan Afghanistan 12,551,407 4,288,709 2,254,585 (2) 
			 Implementation of the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Project, Phase III Kenya 12,409,503 15,211,322 3,366,425 (2) 
			 Eastern Cape Provincial, District and School Development Programme South Africa, Republic of 12,031,278 13,227,532 1,259,149 (2) 
			 Humanitarian Services To DFID and the Post Conflict Reconstruction Unit United Kingdom 11,729,000 1,172,900 1,172,900 (2) 
			 Orissa Power Sector Reform India 11,540,702 16,186,847 14,259,048 16,186,847 
			 Support to Universal Basic Education Nigeria 10,997,147 6,671,696 3,918,076 (2) 
			 NGO Project ManagementReproductive Health Project(4) Malawi 10,979,000 11,880,852 0 11,880,852 
			 (1) Fees are one element of contract cost. The balance is a range of reimbursed expenses and management costs (2) Not yet completed (3) No invoices received yet (4) Costs were all related to implementation of the project and were all designated as operational costs

Public Opinion Research

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on commissioning public opinion research in each of the last five years.

Gareth Thomas: DFID carries out two annual surveys into public attitudes to development. One is run through Ipsos MORI into school children's attitudes to development and another is run through the Office for National Statistics and looks at general public attitudes to development. DFID also occasionally commissions smaller pieces of research to look into attitudes to particular aspects of development. From 2004-07 DFID funded Comic Relief, through the Development Awareness Fund to carry out research into public perceptions, especially the impact of the Make Poverty History Campaign.
	Records previous to 2003 are not readily available and to obtain accurate figures would incur disproportionate cost. The following table sets out figures for 2003-06:
	
		
			   
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 MORI 12,431.50 12,043.75 14,775.62 
			 ONS 32,990.00 36,120.00 41,766.00 
			 Comic Reliefpublic perceptions of poverty  95,723.00 99,666.00 
			 Total 48,455.50 143,886.75 156,207.62

Red Cross

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department contributed to the International Committee of the Red Cross in each year since 2001; and how those contributions were classified.

Hilary Benn: Since 2001 DFID has made the following contributions to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC):
	
		
			million 
			 2001 47.1 
			 2002 52.8 
			 2003 49.9 
			 2004 37.4 
			 2005 42.8 
		
	
	Final figures are not yet available for 2006. These contributions are classified as humanitarian aid.
	DFID has an institutional partnership with the ICRC to provide predictable multi-year funding. This was 17 million in 2001; between 2002 and 2006 it was 18.5 million per annum, and we have just agreed an increase to 20 million per annum. The balance of funding is provided in response to specific emergency appeals.

Russian Federation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much financial aid his Department gave to the Russian Federation in 2005-06.

Gareth Thomas: DFID bilateral aid to the Russian Federation in the fiscal year 2005-06 was 5.68 million. This is split into 4.49 million of technical co-operation, 898,000 of grants and aid in kind and 299,000 of humanitarian assistance. No financial aid was given to the Russian Federation.
	For statistical reporting purposes, bilateral aid is split into the following categories:
	Financial Aid
	Technical co-operation
	Grants and Aid in Kind
	Humanitarian Assistance
	Debt Relief
	Financial aid covers poverty reduction budget support and other projects and programmes not included elsewhere. A full breakdown of bilateral aid for the Russian Federation is published in Table 12.1 of Statistics on International Development 2001/02-2005/06, a copy of which is available in the Library.

Security

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff days overseas were lost due to movement restrictions for security purposes in 2005-06.

Gareth Thomas: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Special Advisers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what guidance he has issued to his special advisers concerning alterations to their duties during the campaign for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party;
	(2)  what plans he has to alter the  (a) salaries of,  (b) number of support staff available to and  (c) office space provided to his special advisers in the next 12 months.

Hilary Benn: Special advisers act in accordance with the requirements of the code of conduct for special advisers. This makes clear that special advisers may assist with a leadership or deputy leadership campaign, but it must be in their own time. In addition, the Cabinet Secretary has issued guidance to Departments on conduct in the run-up to such elections. A copy has been placed in the Library for the reference of Members.
	I have no plans to alter the  (a) salaries of,  (b) number of support staff available to and  (c) office space provided to my special advisers in the next 12 months.

St. Helena

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the progress of the building of the new airport in St. Helena.

Gareth Thomas: An invitation to tender (ITT) issued on 11 July 2006. In light of reactions from the market, relating principally to the cost of tendering and the proposed allocation of risk, this notice was withdrawn. The notice for a new competition was published in the  Official Journal of the EU on 28 October 2006.
	While the scope of work remains largely unchanged, the new invitation is based on a revised allocation of risk under which the Government of St. Helena would assume greater responsibility for certain project risks. The revised invitation also contains reference designs for the major project elements to help tenderers minimise the cost and time of tendering. We expect to issue the revised invitation to tender towards the end of the second quarter of 2007.
	Inevitably, this means a delay in the likely completion date for the airport. We now estimate that air access will be introduced by 2011-12.

Strategic Conflict Assessments

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries have been subject to a strategic conflict assessment by his Department; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of such tests.

Hilary Benn: Strategic conflict assessments (SCAs) have been used in 18 countries by my Department to date. These are (with dates):
	 Asia Pacific
	Burma, 2006
	Nepal, 2000 and 2002
	Solomon Islands, 2000
	Sri Lanka, 2001 and 2005
	 Africa
	Angola, 2006
	Mozambique, 2006
	Nigeria, 2003
	Uganda, 1999, 2003 and 2006
	Zimbabwe, 2006
	 Middle East and N. Africa
	Iraq, 2005
	Yemen, 2005
	 Europe and Central Asia
	Armenia/Azerbaijan, 2002
	Balkans, 2005
	Georgia, 2003
	Kyrgyzstan, 2001
	Moldova, 2002 and 2006
	North Caucasus, 2005
	Tajikistan, 2003
	DFID has also undertaken regional conflict analyses and in 2006 completed the following:
	an analysis of conflict trends in Africa, 1946-2004;
	the Horn of Africa regional conflict analysis; and
	a regional strategic peacebuilding assessment for Central Asia.
	In 2007 DFID plans to carry out SCAs in Southern Africa, Zambia and Pakistan. DFID will also be assessing the causes of conflict and insecurity as part of our new country governance assessment, outlined in our 2006 White Paper.
	In November 2005 DFID carried out a review of our use of the SCA methodology over the past five years which concluded that
	all the SCAs reviewed had produced at least some positive impact on the relevant country programmes and some had led to significant shifts in thinking.
	Specifically the review found:
	SCAs directly inform DFID policies and programmes. In Nepal, the SCA led to DFID's policies and programmes fundamentally changing. New staff were recruited, new offices opened and new programmes developed to focus on the issues of social exclusion, an underlying cause of the Maoist insurgency. In Yemen the SCA helped identify and prioritise the need to strengthen access to justice, and led to the development of a new security and judicial reform programme. In the Balkans, the SCA process helped refocus the UK assistance programme, for example increasing support to final status talks in Kosovo.
	The SCA process 'joins up' thinking across UK Government Departments. The majority of SCAs have been conducted in partnership with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). This has helped develop a shared understanding of the factors underpinning violent conflict. For example, in Sri Lanka the SCA process brought together the UK's diplomatic, defence and development work and led to a unified policy framework focused on conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
	The SCA process strengthens coordination between different donor agencies. For example, the SCA for the North Caucasus was widely disseminated and used by other international actors to inform the strategy of moving incrementally from humanitarian assistance to reconstruction and development aid.

Sudan

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of how the escalating tension between Sudan and Chad and the Central African Republic is affecting attempts to mediate the deployment of the proposed UN-African Union hybrid peacekeeping force.

Hilary Benn: I remain concerned about the ongoing violence in eastern Chad and in the Central African, both by armed groups spilling over the border from Darfur and by internal rebel groups in each country. We continue to call on the Governments of Sudan and Chad in particular to stop supporting each others' rebels and to fulfil their obligations under the Tripoli Agreement.
	President Bashir wrote to the UN Secretary General on 23 December to accept UN reinforcement of AMIS, as set out in the Conclusions of the African Union Peace and Security Council meeting of 30 November. We are pushing the UN to deliver its support as soon as possible. We will also continue to monitor the Sudanese Government's actions closely to ensure they support AMIS' actions and UN reinforcement.

United Nations

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what documents his Department has published on UN reform since 2003.

Gareth Thomas: In July 2006, DFID published its White Paper Making governance work for the poor in which UK's commitment to reform of the international development system, including the UN, was set out. Achievements in working towards a reformed UN are detailed in our departmental reports.
	In 2005, we published an overview of the Multilateral Effectiveness Framework (MEFF) designed to help us monitor the organisational effectiveness of international bodies including UN agencies.
	DFID's Institutional Strategies with UN agencies include our reform commitments with the respective agency. Some examples include: Working in Partnership with UNDP published in November 2005 and the UNICEF Joint Institutional Approach published in September 2006.
	New country assistance plans will include UN reform objectives to ensure that our commitments are fully integrated into our work at the country level.

United Nations

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff from his Department are on the staff of the UK's delegation to the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission's Organisational Committee; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The UK is a strong supporter of the newly established Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). Policy lead on the PBC is shared by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and DFID. DFID funds the First Secretary post in the UK Mission to the United Nations in New York which covers the PBC and attends the PBC's Organisational Committee as part of the UK delegation. In addition, DFID, as well as the FCO, has staff in London, Sierra Leone and Burundi working on the issues covered by the PBC.

United Nations

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many officials in his Department are attached to the United Kingdom's delegation to the United Nations; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: There are currently six officials funded by DFID attached to the United Kingdom's delegations to the United Nations. Of these, two are based in Rome, two in Geneva, one in Paris and one in New York.

Vietnam

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department is planning to provide assistance following recent tropical storms  (a) in Ba Ria Vung Tau province and  (b) elsewhere in Vietnam.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has been in touch with the Government of Vietnam and with international relief agencies. We do not plan to provide such assistance because the Government of Vietnam has been able to prepare and respond to the impact of recent typhoons and has not requested international assistance.

Water and Sanitation

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking  (a) to promote and  (b) to finance access to water for all in developing countries following his Department's announcement of support for the human right to water.

Gareth Thomas: In November, DFID published its global call to action on water and sanitation. This is our call to othersboth international donors and governments in developing countriesto encourage them to do more. It highlights the need for all of us to invest more in water and sanitation, to ensure that this money is spent effectively and fairly and to put the right structures in place to make this happen.
	Our message is that governments and the international community must organise themselves better and be held to account more effectively. To make this work we have stated that there should be one annual report to monitor progress towards achieving the water and sanitation Millennium Development Goal targets and one high-level global annual meeting to agree action. At the country level there should be one national water and sanitation plan, one co-ordinating group and one lead United Nations body for water and sanitation, identified at a national level.
	We will be following up this call for action over the coming months.
	DFID is to double its commitment to water and sanitation in Africa to 95 million a year by 2007-08 and more than double funding again to 200 million a year by 2010-11.

Water and Sanitation

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department has given to public sector water providers in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: DFID's estimated total expenditure on water and sanitation was 221 million in 2003-04, an increase from 147 million in 2002-03. In 2003-04 the proportion of bilateral expenditure (131 million) spent predominantly through governments, not for profit or humanitarian agencies was estimated at 95 per cent., based on a review of project documentation.
	Updated figures for 2004-05 and 2005-06 will be published later in January 2007. Draft figures suggest the general increase in water and sanitation expenditure has been broadly maintained, with a decline in expenditure in Iraq offset by an increase in spend in Africa.
	We are currently conducting an exercise to estimate the breakdown of bilateral expenditure in 2004-05 and 2005-06 by public and private beneficiaries, results of which will also be published in the updated report.

World Bank/IMF

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the themes will be of his Department's three year strategy for work with the World Bank.

Hilary Benn: The current strategy for DFID's partnership with the World Bank was published in September 2004 and covers a three-year period. The objectives of this strategy are to help the World Bank to:
	Maintain and improve its focus on country level results;
	Strengthen local ownership of poverty reduction strategies and alignment of Bank support for them;
	Improve its partnership with donors and other partners in developing countries;
	Provide appropriate assistance to support development in difficult environments;
	Match its use of financial instruments to individual country circumstances;
	Ensure that countries do not build up unsustainable debts which are an obstacle to poverty reduction;
	Scale up progress towards the MDGs, by improving service delivery and financing private sector activities that contribute to sustainable development;
	Deliver on the commitments it made at the Financing for Development Conference at Monterrey.
	A copy of the full strategy has been placed in the House of Commons Library and can be found at:
	www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/ispworldbank2.pdf
	An end-of-cycle review of the current strategy will be undertaken later this year. This will help determine the objectives that are included in the institutional strategy for the following three years.
	DFID reports annually to Parliament on its involvement with the World Bank. The latest report, The UK and the World Bank 2005, has been placed in the House of Commons Library and can be found at:
	www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/uk-worldbank-2005.pdf
	The report for 2006 will be produced shortly.
	Negotiations for the 15th replenishment of the International Development Association of the World Bank will commence in March and are expected to conclude within a year. The UK's objectives for these negotiations are being discussed. I will inform the House once they have been finalised.

World Bank/IMF

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps have been taken by the UK to strengthen co-operation between the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Hilary Benn: Close co-operation between the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank improves the effectiveness of their support for poverty reduction and stability. We welcome the External Review Committee on Fund-Bank collaboration established by Rodrigo De Rato and Paul Wolfowitz in March 2006.
	This has provided the opportunity to feed in UK views on how they can strengthen co-operation. Our contributions have been based around three themes. The first is to stress that there are important roles and responsibilities for both the Fund and Bank in both middle and low income countries. The second is to highlight areas where the Fund and Bank can make a more effective contribution through joint work. We have identified debt sustainability, financial sector strength, public expenditure management, and economic policy and growth, as the most critical issues. Both institutions also have an important contribution to make in supporting country-led poverty reduction strategies. The third theme is to highlight the need for a strong co-operative culture in both institutions so that there is consistent and effective collaboration in all developing countries. This requires a strong and sustained commitment from the management of the Fund and Bank. The UK continues to engage with the Committee and our international partners to exchange views and provide feedback on the extent to which the Fund and Bank are working together effectively in country. Examples of good and bad practice help to identify how they can achieve more effective collaboration.

World Bank/IMF

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps have been taken by UK representatives to encourage a results-orientated culture at the World Bank.

Hilary Benn: The World Bank is recognised as a leader in the field of measuring and managing for results. It was charged under the Marrakech Action Plan with developing a global good practice guide, and has developed an approach which aims to (i) strengthen countries' capacity to manage for results; (ii) enhance the Bank's own effectiveness in results management and (iii) coordinate various efforts at establishing a more results-based approach. The International Development Association (IDA), the Bank's concessional lending arm, was the first international financial institution to introduce a results measurement system (RMS). It tracks both country outcomes and the Bank's contribution to those outcomes. At the country level 14 indicators have been identified for monitoring, covering economic growth and poverty reduction, public financial management, investment climate, infrastructure, and human development. Within the Bank, a steering group has been established to promote broader awareness of the agenda and to identify specific systemic improvements that will enable the results-based system to be effective.
	Maintaining and improving the Bank's focus on country-level results is a key objective of the UK's current three-year strategy for the World Bank. It is also one of the performance criteria which DFID is monitoring to assess progress against DFID's 2005-08 public service agreement target for improving the effectiveness of multilateral agencies. We will continue to use every opportunity to promote this and encourage further progress by the Bank. These include discussions in Washington and in our work with the Bank in poor countries. The latest major discussion on the results-based approach was in Washington at the IDA 14 Mid-Term Review meeting in November 2006. The Bank produced a paper on experience to date, noting areas where good progress had been made, and areas were this had been more limitedparticularly in respect of developing the capacity of poor countries. The UK, and many other countries, recognised the Bank's commitment to results and acknowledged progress. We also noted that there was still much to do, and that sustained efforts would be required, in a range of areas, to make the results-based approach effective.

World Bank/IMF

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on his Department's work on reform of the  (a) International Monetary Fund and  (b) World Bank.

Hilary Benn: The global economy has become increasingly integrated in recent years and as it continues to change, it is important that in both their function and governance the multilateral institutions are modernised to respond to those changes. Through reform the legitimacy and effectiveness of both institutions can be strengthened.
	The UK has been committed to the strengthening of developing country say in the governance of the IMF and World Bank for a number of years. The Government have reiterated that commitment in the White Paper on International Development published in July 2006.
	Within the IMF, the UK welcomes the first steps towards reform and the timetable for further reform set out in the resolution agreed by Governors of the IMF in September 2006, to be completed, at the latest, by the autumn of 2008. The UK has given strong support and equal weight to both objectives of IMF reform: realigning member country shares to reflect global economic changes and strengthening the voice and participation of low income countries. The UK has been clear that reform must increase the voting share of low income countries as well as that of underweighted emerging market economies and we continue to emphasise this. In particular, the UK believes a stronger voice for low income countries requires a substantial increase in the share of basic votes which are assigned equally to all IMF members. These necessary governance reforms should be complemented by continued modernisation of the IMF's instruments to ensure its continued effectiveness with the entire membership. To this end, the UK also supports proposals to reinforce the IMF's crisis prevention role through a new framework for surveillance, with an emphasis on multilateral surveillance, and by expanding the IMF's range of instruments for crisis prevention.
	The 2006 White Paper on International Development acknowledges the critical role which the World Bank plays in providing development assistance to developing countries. It also makes clear that the World Bank must reform if it is to remain relevant in a changing world. Four priorities are identified for the Bank:
	play a leading role in providing more long-term, predictable funding for developing countries;
	find new ways to work with middle income countries as they still face major development changes and are shaping the wider world;
	help tackle the global challenges facing developing countriesfocusing urgently on a financing framework for clean energy and adaptation to climate change, and forging a new international framework to help developing countries tackle corruption and improve their governance;
	help developing countries obtain more influence in the World Bank, where they are weakly represented on the boards, with voting rights decided by financial contributions. This balance must change. The Bank must do more to support developing country priorities and not impose policy conditions in areas like privatisation and trade liberalisation. And if their members demand it, the Bank should be ready to change how members are represented, and how decisions are madefor example through greater voting rights for poor countries. There also needs to be greater transparency in the way that the World Bank and IMF operate. More World Bank analysis should be disclosed. I am pleased that in the recent discussions on conditionally, the Bank agreed to improve its practice in this area. And the practice of picking the heads of both institutions based on nationality should endpresidents should be chosen on merit.
	We are actively pursuing these reforms in collaboration with like-minded partners.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the government of Zimbabwe on increasing women's access to sanitary products.

Hilary Benn: I have not had such discussions, but I applaud the work of those who are campaigning for increased women's access to sanitary products in Zimbabwe and wish them every success in their fund-raising. The high cost and limited availability of these products is symptomatic of the dramatic economic decline in Zimbabwe in recent years. Along with others in the international community, we have made clear our deep concern about the policies of the Government of Zimbabwe which shows no interest in discussions about the fundamental policy reforms which are needed. Meanwhile, DFID's top priorities are to tackle HIV and AIDS, currently causing over 3,200 deaths per week; and assisting over a million people living in dire poverty, many of whom will face serious food shortages in the coming months. All of DFID's assistance is delivered through NGOs and UN agenciesnone of our funding is channelled through the Government of Zimbabwe.

TREASURY

11 Downing Street

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the costs of official entertaining in No. 11 Downing Street were in 2005-06.

John Healey: Figures for official hospitality at No.11 Downing Street are not held separately and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	All expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in Government Accounting.

11 Downing Street

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the costs of refurbishments to No. 11 Downing Street were in 2005-06.

John Healey: None.

11 Downing Street

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the names are of the guests who have stayed overnight at Number 11 Downing Street in the last 12 months.

John Healey: The Treasury is not responsible for the flat in No. 11 Downing Street.

Bingo Industry

Ben Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) duties and  (b) taxes are imposed upon the bingo industry.

John Healey: Duty is levied at 15 per cent. on gross profits from bingo and participation fees for bingo are subject to VAT at the standard rate. The bingo industry is also subject to the usual taxes imposed on business.

Child Benefit

Mark Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of fathers with equal residence and contact with their child as mothers have been awarded child benefit.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available.

Christmas Cards

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to whom he is sending Christmas cards on behalf of his Department.

John Healey: Treasury Ministers send Christmas cards to a range of people with whom the Treasury has dealings.

Christmas Cards

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer from where Christmas cards to be sent by his Department have been sourced; and what account was taken of the sustainability of that source.

John Healey: The Treasury's Christmas cards come from a sustainable source.

Compensation Payments

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much in compensation payments was paid by his Department in 2005-06; and what the reason for the payment was in each case.

John Healey: There is no record of any compensation payments in 2005-06.

Customs: Searches

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many searches were made by customs officers in each of the last five years; how many seizures of money were made; and how much money was seized.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of searches of persons undertaken by HMRC is published in the annual reports for HM Customs and Excise and HM Revenue and Customs. HM Revenue and Customs does not centrally record the number of any other searches that it undertake.
	The number and quantity of cash seized by HMRC is shown in the table.
	
		
			   Total number of cash seizures made where the cash has not been returned  Total value of cash seizures made where the cash has not been returned ( million)  Total number of cash seizures where the cash has been returned  Total value of cash seized and returned ( million) 
			 2005-06 559 20.00 48 13.1 
			 2004-05 875 22.9 113 2.1 
			 2003-04 678 33.5 189 5.5 
			 2002-03 465 34.6 55 3.1 
			 2001-02 310 15.1 9 0.26

Departmental Estate

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value is of  (a) land and  (b) buildings disposed of by his Department in each of the past 10 years.

John Healey: holding answer 8 January 2006
	The Treasury's only disposal of freehold land or buildings in the past 10 years was the sale of the land at 100 Parliament Street to the former Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise in 2004-05 for 22.3 million. In addition, in 2002-03 the Treasury assigned a lease on Allington Towers, Allington Street, London SW1 to the Home Office. The annual rent on Allington Towers was 1.7 million.

Departmental Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he keeps a record of those he has entertained at No. 11 Downing street when the costs are met from public funds.

John Healey: Information on visitors to No. 11 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs. All expenditure on official hospitality is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in Government Accounting.

Departmental Expenditure

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on  (a) expenses,  (b) travel,  (c) hotels and  (d) meals by staff in his Department during business visits in (i) 2004-05, (ii) 2005-06 and (iii) 1996-97; and how many staff have made claims for such items.

John Healey: For the Treasury's costs in 2004-05 and 2005-06 on subsistence, which includes accommodation and meals on business visits, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 16 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1060W. For the Treasury's costs in 2004-05 and 2005-06 on travel, I refer to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois) on 29 November 2006,  Official Report, column 719W. Information on the number of staff making claims or for the costs in 1996-97 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Disabled Staff

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been spent from his Department's central administration budget on  (a) reasonable adjustments for disabled staff and  (b) the recruitment and retention of disabled staff in each of the last four years.

John Healey: holding answer 18 December 2006
	The Treasury has had a central reasonable adjustments budget since mid 2004.
	The following has been spent on reasonable adjustments:
	
		
			
			 2004/05 21,000.00 
			 2005/06 36,538.00 
		
	
	The central reasonable adjustments budget has been an important initiative in the retention of disabled staff. Before 2004 the cost of reasonable adjustments were met by the budget team in which the employee worked. The costs to individual teams are not available separately.
	The costs of the recruitment of disabled staff and reasonable adjustments to, and during, the recruitment process are included in the overall recruitment budget. All recruitment is in line with the civil service recruitment code and candidates who declare a disability and meet the minimum criteria of the post are guaranteed an interview. Reasonable adjustment will be made for candidates with disabilities who request adjustments.

Electronic Filing

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many large companies with several small pay-as-you-earn reference numbers have been successful in claiming the incentive payments for electronic filing for small employers on more than one occasion within the year; what steps have been taken to ensure that such claims are not made successfully; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Any employer who applies to split an existing payroll for PAYE purposes into a series of smaller payrolls must make an election under regulation 98, SI 2003 No. 2682. Each election is considered on its own merits. Where there is evidence that the motivation for such an election is to qualify for incentive payments, which are only available to small employers, the application will be refused.
	The Government had anticipated this might be an issue and regulations are in place to address it (Regulation 99, SI 2003 No. 2682).
	HMRC does not keep statistics on the number of rejected elections, but there is no evidence from compliance activity undertaken that there has been abuse of the system in this way.

Electronic Filing

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his original estimate was of the cost in each year of the incentive payments for electronic filing for small employers in each financial year that the scheme was set to run; for how many years those payments are planned to continue; how eligibility for the payments is determined; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The original estimate of the cost of online filing incentives was 420 million, broken down as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 2005-06 (1)40 
			 2006-07 (2)110 
			 2007-08 (3)110 
			 2008-09 to 2009-10 (4)160 
			 (1) In respect of 2004-05 returns. (2) In respect of 2005-06 returns. (3) In respect of 2006-07 returns. (4) In respect of 2007-08 and 2008-09 returns. 
		
	
	Since then the estimates have been regularly revised to reflect the success of converting small employers to filing their PAYE employer annual returns online. These estimates are approved by Ministers and details are provided to the Treasury Select Committee.
	To qualify for the online filing incentive the employer must:
	have fewer than 50 employees (the number is determined by a count carried out every year by HMRC of employees within each PAYE scheme);
	successfully send their employer annual return online;
	send a return that is required under the PAYE regulationsthat is, means a completed end of year pay, tax and national insurance summary (form P35) and a completed form P14 for at least one employee; and
	only be established, employ employees or make payments of PAYE income wholly or mainly for permissible purposes (Regulation 6(5) SI 2005 No. 826.)

Electronic Filing

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was paid in incentive payments for electronic filing for small employers in each year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: A total of 225.2 million was paid to small employers in 2005-06.
	These payments related to 2004-05 PAYE employer annual returns submitted to HMRC.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect on the income generated to the Exchequer has resulted from the increases in excise duty for hydrocarbon oils announced in measure 32 of his 1998 Budget report since 1998.

John Healey: None. This measure has not been implemented.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that private organisations contracted to work  (a) in his Department and  (b) for non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which his Department is responsible are aware of their duties under gender equality legislation when exercising public functions on behalf of public bodies.

John Healey: The Treasury and its non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies incorporate terms and conditions into some or all of their contracts to ensure they can assess a private organisation's equal opportunity policies and comply with gender legislation.
	Details of such practice varies across the Treasury group and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	From 6 April 2007, private sector organisations, when carrying out functions of a public nature on behalf of public authorities, will be required to comply with the general gender equality duty to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and harassment and promote equality of opportunity between women and men. Documentation will refer to the Equal Opportunities Commission's code of practice of the gender equality duty and any further EOC guidance when available.

Government Assets

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will break down by Government department the value of assets sold by central Government in  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06 and  (c) 2006-07.

Stephen Timms: The table provides details of the value of assets sold by central Government departments in 2004-05 and 2005-06. Data for 2006-07 are not available.
	
		
			  Fixed asset disposals by departmental group, 2004-05 and 2005-06( 1) , sale value basis 
			   million 
			  Departmental group  2004-05 outturn  2005-06 outturn 
			 CO 1 0 
			 DCA 23 12 
			 DCLG 159 179 
			 DCMS 1 2 
			 DEFRA 8 17 
			 DfES 0 0 
			 DfID 0 0 
			 DfT 39 19 
			 DH 233 532 
			 DTI 24 29 
			 DWP 17 13 
			 FCO 8 20 
			 HMRC 60 -17 
			 HMT 45 12 
			 HO 3 2 
			 LD 0 6 
			 MOD(2) 355 725 
			 NAW 46 42 
			 NIE 111 73 
			 NIO 1 4 
			 SE 3 3 
			 Total central Government 1,138 1,673 
			 Total local authorities(3) 5,169 4,207 
			 Total fixed asset disposal receipts 6,308 5,879 
			 (1) Taken from COINS database, consistent with PBR 2006. 2006-07 data not available. (2) Excluding SUME which are classified as current in the National Accounts but capital in budgets. (3) Includes Housing Revenue Account that is no longer statistically classified to the LA sub sector.  Note: Difference from PESA 06 due to: exclusion of police, inclusion of English Partnerships.

Government Assets

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which 10 individuals, companies or organisations purchased the highest proportion of central Government assets sold in 2005-06 reported in table B21 of his 2006 pre-budget report; and what total value of assets each purchased.

Stephen Timms: HM Treasury does not hold information on the purchasers of individual assets from Departments.

Government Assets

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his target for 30 billion of surplus asset sales by 2010-11 includes the sale of public sector assets in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Stephen Timms: The 30 billion target for asset disposals includes the sale of public sector fixed assets in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland including those owned by the devolved administrations. However, in Scotland and Wales it is for the devolved Administrations to determine the amount of their asset sales.

Grandparent Carers

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to support grandparents who care for their grandchildren.

Dawn Primarolo: Where grandparents have the primary responsibility for bringing up their grandchildren, they are entitled to financial support, namely child benefit and child tax credit, on the same terms as a parent, with no effect on pension credit assessments. Child benefit and child tax credit guarantee support for the first child of over 3,000 a year for grandparents with a low income and nearly 1,500 for those with an income of up to 50,000 a year.

Health Statistics

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the incidence rate was for  (a) chronic lung disease,  (b) coronary heart disease and  (c) cancer for (i) men and (ii) women in Cleethorpes constituency since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 8 January 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the incidence rate was for (a) chronic lung disease, (b) coronary heart disease and (c) cancer for (i) men and (ii) women in Cleethorpes constituency since 1997. (110034)
	The table below provides the age-standardised incidence rate for all cancers registered in Cleethorpes parliamentary constituency for the years 2001 to 2004 (the latest available).
	Incidence rates for parliamentary constituencies which do not share boundaries exactly with a local authority can be calculated only from 2001 onwards. Figures on the incidence of chronic lung disease and coronary heart disease are not readily available.
	The ward population estimates on which these rates are based are experimental statisticsthat is, statistics which are in a testing or consultation phase and are not fully developedand the figures should therefore be treated with caution.
	
		
			  Table: Age-standardised incidence rates( 1)  of all cancers( 2)  registered in the Cleethorpes parliamentary constituency, 2001-04( 3,4) 
			   Male  Female 
			 2001 405 326 
			 2002 409 344 
			 2003 410 298 
			 2004 348 299 
			 (1 )Age-standardised cancer registration rates per 100,000 population, standardised to the European Standard Population. Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages. (2) International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C00-C97 excluding code C44: non-melanoma skin cancer. (3) Using local authority ward boundaries as of 2005 for cancer registrations for all years shown. (4) The ward population estimates used to calculate the ward incidence rates are experimental statistics, and are consistent with the published local authority mid-year estimates for the relevant year.

HM Revenue and Customs

Simon Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reconsider the decision to close down the HM Revenue and Customs compliance office in Chelmsford; why the decision was taken; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 19 December 2006
	I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 27 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 451-52W to the hon. Member for Westmorland  Lonsdale (Tim Farron).

HM Revenue and Customs

Paul Murphy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the closure of HM Revenue and Customs offices in south Wales.

Dawn Primarolo: As I made clear in a recent Westminster Hall debate (HM Revenue  Customs (Wales), 29 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 12-134WH) no decision has been made to close any specific offices in Wales or elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

HM Revenue and Customs

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer where queries regarding national compliance and risk assessment accounts within HM Revenue and Customs for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales will be dealt with following the review of HMRC offices.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC is currently considering the optimum structure and locations of its offices, led by taxpayer and business needs. Final decisions will be subject to consultation.

HM Revenue and Customs

David Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many attempts to gain unauthorised access to the computer systems of HM Revenue and Customs  (a) were detected and  (b) succeeded in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC has detected no successful attempts to gain unauthorised external access to its computer systems in each of the last five years.
	Although HMRC actively monitors and protects its systems, the Department does not routinely record unsuccessful attempts to gain unauthorised access, because the high volume of relatively simplistic Internet-based approaches to which any web-connected system is subjected means the gathering of this data is of negligible benefit.

Household Income Levels: Scotland

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average household income is in  (a) the Highland Council area,  (b) Glasgow,  (c) Scotland and  (d) the UK.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 8 January 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on the levels of average household income in Highlands Council area, Glasgow, Scotland and the United Kingdom. I am replying in her absence. (113404)
	ONS publishes estimates of Gross Disposable Household Income (GDHI) per head on a regional basis. The latest figures published are for 2004. Regional GDHI data are produced using the official statistical geographies known as NUTS (Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics). Data are not available for the Highlands Council area. Data are provided for the Highlands and Islands NUTS 2 area, along with its six constituent NUTS 3 areas.
	
		
			  NUTS level( 2)  Region name  GDHl( 1)  per head (2004) () 
			 NUTS2 Highlands and Islands 11,221 
			 NUTS3 Caithness  Sutherland and Ross  Cromarty 11,806 
			 NUTS3 Inverness  Nairn and Moray, Badenoch  Strathspey 11,320 
			 NUTS3 Lochaber, Skye  Lochalsh and Argyll and the Islands 10,546 
			 NUTS3 Eilean Siar 11,244 
			 NUTS3 Orkney Islands 11,003 
			 NUTS3 Shetland Islands 11,606 
			
			 NUTS3 Glasgow City 11,500 
			
			 NUTS1 Scotland 12,116 
			  United Kingdom 12,840 
			 (1) Gross disposable household income is defined as the amount of money that households have available for spending or saving after deductions and expenditure associated with income. Examples of deductions and expenditures associated with income would be taxes and social contributions and provision for future pension income. (2) NUTS areas in Scotland are as follows: NUTS1Country NUTS2Groups of whole/part unitary authorities and/or local enterprise company areas (4 areas) NUTS3Groups of whole/part unitary authorities and/or local enterprise company areas (23 areas).

Iraq

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 6 December 2006,  Official Report, column 487W, on Iraq, on what date he asked for approval from the Prime Minister; on what date he received such approval; and if he will place in the Library a copy of  (a) the request and  (b) the approval.

John Healey: holding answer 18 December 2006
	I have nothing further to add of 6 December 2006,  Official Report, column 487W.

Iraq and Afghanistan

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reason is for the change in the amount he allocated to fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan between the 2006 Budget and the 2006 Pre-Budget Report.

Stephen Timms: The costs of military operations are met from the reserves (including both the capital and resource reserves). They are subject to fluctuation as a result of operational developments and other factors. Budget 2006 announced 800 million of provision in the special reserve to help meet the resource costs of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and other international commitments.
	The Ministry Of Defence has drawn down provision in its winter supplementary estimate for the current additional estimated costs.

Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the occasions since he has held his present office when he has used  (a) rail services,  (b) the London Underground,  (c) tram or light railway services and (d) buses in connection with his ministerial duties.

John Healey: Treasury Ministers, including the Chancellor, have used various forms of public transport in the course of their ministerial duties over the last year.

Ministerial Vehicles

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) make and  (b) model is of the car he most regularly uses in the course of his official duties.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois) on 29 November 2006,  Official Report, column 725W.

Missing Trader Intra-Community VAT Fraud

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value is of assets confiscated as a result of investigations into missing trader intra community (MTIC) VAT fraud in each year since 2000-01.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham on 7 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1050W.

National Insurance Contributions

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were given incorrect information on the level of their National Insurance contributions by HM Revenue and Customs in 2006; how many people HM Revenue and Customs has informed of such an error; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs have sent 3.2 million letters to customers advising them of a potential shortfall in their national insurance paid during 2004-05 and will send up to 1.5 million more over the next few weeks. Some may contain incorrect information due to the late processing of employers, 2004-05 returns.
	HM Revenue and Customs have contacted many employers who sent in their returns using our electronic data interchange or magnetic media service to tell them about the difficulties with their returns, but it has not been possible to identify or contact all employers affected. They have also explained the position in detail to the key representative bodies.

National Insurance Deficiency Notices

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many national insurance deficiency notices have been distributed since  (a) 30 November 2005 and  (b) 25 May 2006; and how many of those notices were sent to individuals who would reach state pension age on or after 6 April 2010.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 27 November 2006,  Official Report, column 352W. The updated figure for the number of deficiency notices issued since 25 May 2006 is now 3.2 million. The information on the numbers of these notices sent to individuals who reach state pension age on or after 6 April 2010 is not readily available.

National Insurance Fund

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue was generated from the surplus of the national insurance fund in each of the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is in the national insurance fund accounts which are published by the Stationery Office and are in the House of Commons Library.

National Insurance Fund

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what purposes the surplus of the national insurance fund may be used.

Dawn Primarolo: When the national insurance fund is in surplus it is invested in gilts.

National Insurance Fund

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the national insurance fund is in surplus.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentlemen to paragraph 4 of the report of the Government Actuary on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Up- rating Order 2006 and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Funds Payments) Order 2006.

National Insurance Fund

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on income tax levels of a halt to Government borrowing from the national insurance fund.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government have no plans to change the investment strategy of the national insurance fund.

National Insurance Fund

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what the revenue raised from gilts purchased using the surplus in the national insurance fund is spent; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Details of the income from investments of the national insurance fund can be found in the annual accounts of the national insurance fund published by the Stationery Office. A copy of the most recent account, National Insurance Fund Account 2004-05, is available in the House of Commons Library.

NHS Trusts: VAT

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will make a statement on the VAT treatment of the supply of academic staff by universities to NHS trusts.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are currently discussing the impact of a VAT and duties tribunal decision on the supply of clinical academics by universities to NHS trusts with the Department of Health, university representative bodies, and other interested parties. HMRC will issue full guidance on the VAT position in due course.

NHS Trusts: VAT

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultation took place with  (a) NHS trusts and  (b) their representatives before HM Revenue and Customs published guidelines in April 2006 directing that NHS trusts should not be recovering VAT incurred in providing doctors and locums under Professional Services Heading 52.

Dawn Primarolo: The present Treasury directionissued under section 41 (3) of the Value Added Tax Act 1994authorises Government Departments and the NHS to recover VAT incurred on nursing services (heading 41), which includes the hire of nurses from outside the NHS. Neither that heading, nor heading 52, extends to the hiring in of other medical staff. Guidance from HM Revenue and Customs in April 2006 simply clarified the correct VAT position. As such, no consultation was required or took place on this matter.
	Section 41 (3) does not refund all the VAT that NHS trusts incur on the items they purchase. The overarching principle is thatin common with the public sector in generalirrecoverable VAT incurred by NHS trusts is included in the overall funding of the NHS.

Parliamentary Questions

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many written parliamentary questions to his Department in the 2005-06 session were not answered wholly or in part on grounds of disproportionate cost;
	(2)  how many written parliamentary questions to his Department in the 2005-06 session were answered with a reply that it had not been possible to reply before prorogation.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 29 November 2005,  Official Report, columns 729-30W.

Parliamentary Questions

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many written parliamentary questions to his Department in the 2005-06 session did not receive an answer.

John Healey: All except 13 of the 6,437 House of Commons written questions received in 2005-06 were answered substantively by Treasury Ministers.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals who will reach state pension age on or after 6 April 2010 have paid Class 3 national insurance contributions since  (a) 25 May 2006 and  (b) 30 November 2005.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the numbers of individuals is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the advice on possible changes to the qualifying conditions for receipt of a full basic state pension that was issued to individuals applying to pay Class 3 national insurance contributions  (a) between 30 November 2005 and 25 May 2006 and  (b) since 26 May 2006.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 27 November 2006,  Official Report, column 353W.

Pensions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list each of the documents published as part of the consultation on the pensions tax simplification legislation included within the Finance Act 2004.

Edward Balls: The Government's proposals were set out in two main consultation documents Simplifying the taxation of pensions: increasing choice and flexibility for all (December 2002) and Simplifying the taxation of pensions: the Government's proposals (December 2003). Summaries of the responses to the two consultations were published on 14 July 2003 and 25 November 2004 on the HMRC website. The proposals were also extensively discussed at a series of public consultation meetings and individual seminars and meetings with the pensions industry.
	On 9 August 2004 draft Regulations, provided for under powers contained in the Finance Act 2004, were published for consultation and a document summarising the consultation responses was published on 8 March 2005. Most of the remaining regulations were published in draft but were not consulted on.

Pensions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of alternatively secured pensions sold since 1 April.

Edward Balls: Figures are not available, but the numbers of individuals who have entered into alternatively secured pensions (ASP) to date is likely to be small, as the ASP facility only became available on 6 April 2006 and generally only members who have reached age 75 since that date may use ASP.
	In addition, pension schemes that are unable to trace a member when they reach age 75 hold their pension scheme assets as an ASP fund. Only a relatively small number of individuals are likely to be in this position.

Pensions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amendments have been made to the pension tax regime since the Finance Act 2004.

Edward Balls: The new simplified tax regime for pension saving, which began on 6 April 2006, was originally enacted in Finance Act 2004.
	Changes to the new regime were enacted under sections 101-102 and schedule 10 of the Finance Act 2005. Many of these changes provided additional flexibilities for schemes and individuals and clarified aspects of the new rules to smooth the transition from the previous to the new simplified regime. There were other changes, for example to provide for the pension protection fund to receive the same types of tax reliefs as registered pension schemes.
	Changes were also made under sections 158-161 and schedules 21-23 of the Finance Act 2006, which provided additional flexibilities for pension schemes, providers and members and also dealt with other matters, for example imposing certain tax charges on some types of registered pension scheme which hold residential property or other taxable assets as investments.

Pensions

Adam Holloway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people who will be entitled to an alternatively secured pension.

Edward Balls: The option to enter into an alternatively secured pension is available to a member of a registered pension scheme who has reached age 75 since 6 April 2006, without securing a pension.

Planned Asset Sales

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of planned asset sales in each year from 2008-09.

Stephen Timms: In the 2006 pre-Budget report the Government confirmed that disposals in 2004-05 and 2005-06 totalled 12.2 billion and that it is on track to meet the 30-billion asset disposal target by 2010-11. A separate target has not been set for each year, but estimates and projections for the period to 2007-08 are set out in table B21 of the 2006 pre-Budget report.

Police Interpreters

David Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account is taken of changes in expenditure relating to police interpreters in assessing spending requirements for the Home Office.

Stephen Timms: The Home Office's spending requirements are assessed as part of the spending review process. Budget 2006 announced an early spending settlement for the Home Office which maintains the Home Office's 2007-08 departmental expenditure limit in real terms over the years 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11. This settlement takes into account the Department's and the police service's pressures, priorities and potential savings.

Pre-Budget Report

David Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional capital expenditure relating to  (a) schools and  (b) (i) further and (ii) higher education colleges was announced in the 2006 pre-Budget report.

Stephen Timms: The 2006 pre-Budget report announced that capital investment in education will rise by an additional 250 million, 750 million and 1,850 million over the years 2008-09 to 2010-11. These additions ensure that, as announced in Budget 2006, capital investment in schools will rise from 6.4 billion in 2007-08 to 8 billion in 2010-11.

Pre-Budget Report

David Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional spending per child was announced in the 2006 pre-Budget report for  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools, excluding those sums previously announced.

Stephen Timms: The 2006 pre-Budget report announced an additional 130 million in direct payments for schools in England in 2007-08, including to support personalisation and extended services.
	These additions, channelled through the schools standards grant, mean that direct payments to schools will rise to an average of 200 per pupil for primary schools and 225 per pupil for secondary schools in 2007-08. This compares to 2006-07 levels of direct payments at 159 and 171 respectively; and previously planned 2007-08 levels of direct payments at 178 and 213 respectively.
	The pre-Budget report also announced 10 million in 2007-08 to improve guidance to schools on supporting boys' reading and writing, and provide additional small group support and tuition targeted towards 400 secondary schools where the gender gap is largest.

Social Security Benefits: Terrorism

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2006,  Official Report, column 846W, on social security benefits: terrorism, who the two people are who have had benefits payments licensed; what the  (a) type and  (b) weekly amount is of each benefit they claim; and what (i) type and (ii) amount of each benefit was claimed by those people issued with each of the 37 licences issued.

Edward Balls: For privacy reasons, we are unable to release the names of individuals who are receiving state benefits, nor the type and amount of benefits. The 37 licences referred to in my written answer of 11 December 2006,  Official Report, column 846W, were all non-benefits licences. As stated in that answer, 35 of these licences were for legal expenses and the other two were for basic expenses.

Statutory Instruments

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the statutory instruments  (a) enacted and  (b) published in draft under powers to make regulations in those parts of the Finance Act 2004 and Finance Act 2006 that relate to the tax regime for pensions.

Edward Balls: A list of the statutory instruments that were enacted under powers included in the legislation on the new pensions regime in Finance Acts 2004 and 2006 has been placed in the Library of the House. All were published on the HMRC website in draft before enactment except for SI No. 1962 The Taxation of Pension Schemes (Transitional Provisions)(Amendment) Order 2006.

Take-up Rates

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the take-up rate is for  (a) child benefit,  (b) child tax credit and  (c) working tax credit in (i) the Highland Council area, (ii) Glasgow, (iii) Scotland and (iv) the UK.

Dawn Primarolo: For information on take-up rate of child benefit in the UK I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the right hon. Member for North Tyneside (Mr. Byers) on 7 March 2006,  Official Report, column 1296W.
	This information is not available in the geographical breakdowns requested.
	Information on the number of working families with children eligible for, but not receiving tax credits broken down by country and Government Office region is available in table 9 of the 2003-04 tax credit take-up rates publication at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-take-up.htm
	A similar breakdown for those without children is not available.
	Information is not available at council or city level.

Tax Credits

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total number of tax credit overpayments made to couples who have since separated is; and in how many such cases  (a) overpayments are owed,  (b) recovery of the whole of the joint liability is being pursued against one party only and  (c) one party is untraceable. [Official Report, 4 December 2007, Vol. 468, c. 5MC.]

Dawn Primarolo: At April 2006 there were about 350,000 claims originally made by couples, who are recorded as having split up by that date, and for which there were outstanding undisputed overpayments over 10 for either 2003-04 or 2004-05.
	The other information requested is not available.

Tax Credits

Graham Allen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the expected response time is for customer calls to the Derby Debt Management Team of the Tax Credit Office on the telephone number 01332 724 403; what mechanisms are in place to prevent penalties arising due to customers not being able to make contact within set deadlines due to a lack of telephone line capacity; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC aims to answer calls promptly and additional resources were diverted to deal with the expected peak in calls at Derby recently. However, in some of these cases, where it had not proved possible to answer calls, the department has dealt with cases sympathetically and any costs charged in these circumstances have been written off.

Tax Credits

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2006,  Official Report, column 360W, on tax credits, how many tax credit overpayments were successfully disputed in each month since April 2006.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 18 December 2006
	For the number of tax credits overpayments written off on the grounds of official error from May 2006 to October 2006 inclusive, I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander) on 10 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 730-31W and the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 31 October 2006,  Official Report, column 318-19W.
	For October 2006 and November 2006, the number of tax credits overpayments successfully disputedthat is, where the overpayment was written off in full or in part by the tax credit office because of official error was around:
	
		
			  2006  Number written off (fully or partially) (around) 
			 October 1,000 
			 November 1,000

Tax Credits

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many compensatory payments were made in respect of tax credits in each of the last five years; and what the total cost was of these payments.

Dawn Primarolo: For the number and value of compensation payments made in 2003-04, the year that child and working tax credits were introduced, I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave the hon. Member for Northavon (Steve Webb) and to the hon. Member for the former Hamilton South constituency (Mr. Tynan) on 20 July 2004,  Official Report, column 191W.
	For the number and value of compensation payments made in 2004-05, I refer to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 4 July 2005,  Official Report, columns 95-96W.
	For the number of compensation payments made in 2005-06, I refer to the answers that I gave hon. Member for Yeovil on 15 November 2005,  Official Report, column l212W and 18 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 360-61W. For the value of compensation payments made in 2005-06, I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for North West Cambridgeshire (Mr. Vara) on 30 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 843-44W.

Tax Credits

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit claimants received manual payments in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available.

Tax Credits

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prisoners are in receipt of tax credits; and how much was paid in tax credits to prisoners in each year from 2003-04 to 2006-07 to date.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 30 November 2006,  Official Report, column 844W.

Tax Exemptions: Religious Believers

Paul Holmes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what legal advice his Department has sought on whether allowing tax exemptions for certain religious believers establishes a legal precedent which would enable other religions to seek exemptions in the future.

Edward Balls: While the detailed content of any legal advice on tax matters is subject to legal professional privilege and cannot be disclosed, it is the considered view of this Government that trying to limit access to ASPs to religious groups could lead to legal and operational difficulties. As the Government concluded in The Annuities Market, published on 6 December 2006, any attempt to limit the availability of ASPs to particular religious groups would be impractical.

Tax Office Closure Programme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider redundancy terms equivalent to those offered by the Department for Work and Pensions for workers affected by the tax office closure programme.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC has an Approved Early Retirement Scheme and intends to continue with this into 2007-08. This is entirely voluntary and so far 3,200 staff have accepted these terms.
	HMRC has recently entered into a no-redundancy agreement until September 2007 with the recognised trades unions and has no plans to offer schemes similar to those offered in the Department for Work and Pensions.

Tax Revenue: Agriculture

William McCrea: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax revenue has accrued to the Exchequer from the Northern Ireland agricultural sector in each year since 2000.

Stephen Timms: Tax revenues are not recorded by sector and region from which they are received. Identifiable spending by function and region for the years 2000-01 to 2005-06 is published in chapter 7 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (Cm 6811).

Treasury Consent

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the cost-threshold beyond which Treasury consent must be given for projects to be implemented; and what that cost threshold is.

John Healey: The threshold for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport above which the approval of HM Treasury must be sought for projects is 6 million, except in the case of the Olympic Delivery Authority, where it is 20 million. The ODA's financial memorandum was agreed by HM Treasury and DCMS.

Unemployment: Wellingborough

Peter Bone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  pursuant to the statement of 7 December 2006,  Official Report, column 432, what youth unemployment was in Wellingborough constituency in 1997; what youth unemployment is now in Wellingborough constituency; and on what basis the figures were calculated;
	(2)  pursuant to the statement of 7 December 2006,  Official Report, column 432, what adult unemployment in Wellingborough constituency was  (a) in 1997 and  (b) December 2006; and on what basis these figures were calculated.

John Healey: holding answer 14 December 2006
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 8 January 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary questions about unemployment. (109240,109243).
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment for parliamentary constituencies from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows the number of unemployed people, aged 16 to 24 and aged 25 and over, resident in the Wellingborough constituency for the 12 months ending in February 1997 from the annual local area LFS and for the 12 months ending in June 2006 from the APS. Table 2 shows corresponding unemployment rates which are defined as the number of unemployed expressed as a percentage of the economically active population in the relevant age group.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in a small geographical area, they are based on very small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty. In this case, the sample sizes are not sufficient to give an accurate estimate of even the direction of the change over the period.
	ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). Table 3, attached, shows the annual average number of people aged 18 to 24 and aged 25 and over, resident in the Wellingborough constituency, claiming JSA for the 12 months ending in November 1997 and November 2006. Sub-regional claimant count data is not seasonally adjusted and thus comparisons between different months may cause distortions. Annual averages are shown to remove seasonally and years ending November are shown to include the latest month's data in the comparison.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of unemployed persons resident in the Wellingborough constituency. 
			  Thousand 
			Aged 
			 12 months ending Total 16 to 24 25 and over 
			 February 1997 2 1 1 
			 March 2006 3 2 (1) 
			 
			 (1) The number of respondents in this category is too small to provide estimates.  Note: 1. Estimates are subject to sampling variability. 2. Changes in the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution  Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Unemployment rates( 1)  for persons resident in the Wellingborough constituency. 
			  Percentage 
			Aged 
			 12 months ending Total 16 to 24 25 and over 
			 February 1997 4.0 8.8 3.1 
			 March 2006 4.7 18.0 (2) 
			 (1). Unemployed as a percentage of the economically active population (2). The number of respondents in this category is too small to provide estimates  Note: 1. Estimates are subject to sampling variability. 2. Changes in the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution.  Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Average number of claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance resident in the Wellingborough constituency 
			  Not seasonally adjusted 
			Aged( 1) 
			 12 months ending Total 16 to 17 18 to 24 25 and over 
			 November 1997 1,793 25 470 1,290 
			 November 2006 1,511 15 460 1,035 
			 (1) Claimant count by age includes computerised claims only. Dataset rounded to the nearest five.  Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative data

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of the in-house staff magazine of the Valuation Office Agency from the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: I have placed in the Library copies of the VOA's in-house staff magazine from the last 12 months.

VAT

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average time is for which valued added tax payments have been delayed by the use of Extended Verification on UK mobile phone, computer parts and pharmaceutical export companies; and what the longest such delay has been.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs does not collate the information requested and would incur disproportionate costs in doing so. Each case of verification is treated on its own merits, the time taken to reach a decision being that required to fully establish the veracity of the claim. However, if at any time during the verification HM Revenue and Customs identifies that part or the entire claim is unconnected to missing trader intra-community fraud and is otherwise valid, HM Revenue and Customs will make prompt repayment of the amount.

VAT

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the internal manual of procedure for HM Revenue and Customs to implement extended verification on traders for value added tax.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs has a duty to protect revenue and its targeted and risk-based in-depth verification of VAT repayment claims is a proportionate response to the organised criminal attack on the VAT system through attempted MTIC fraud. HM Revenue and Customs already places a significant proportion of its internal guidance on VAT on its website. Making available any further information on extended verification procedures would be likely to prejudice the assessment and collection of VAT.

VAT

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on HM Revenue and Customs' use of extended verification procedures for VAT.

Dawn Primarolo: Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Government Publications

Kate Hoey: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what  (a) guidance and  (b) instructions Her Majesty's Stationery Office follows on the size of margins in Government publications.

Vera Baird: I have been asked to reply.
	None. Her Majesty's Stationery Office is itself responsible for the provision of advice to Departments regarding Government publications. For those publications for which it is directly responsible HMSO takes care to ensure that the size of margins are set appropriately for the publication.

Government Publications

Kate Hoey: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment she has made of  (a) the potential cost savings and  (b) the environmental impact of reducing the size of margins in official publications.

Vera Baird: I have been asked to reply.
	None. Those involved in the design of official publications are encouraged to minimise the cost, the size and the environmental impact of their publications. Her Majesty's Stationery Office will often remind Departments of the need for economy in the production of their publications. The overall aim for any publication, though, must be that it is both readable and accessible to all who will have a need or interest in its content.
	The size of margins is one aspect in the design of any publication which will also be affected by the page size, the length of the publication, typeface, typesize and line and paragraph spacing.
	Margins may also be affected by the nature of the printing process to be adopted and the size of the publication which will determine whether a larger inside margin is required to allow for binding.
	Margins are very important for readers, providing space to hold each page without hiding any of the text and providing a resting spot for a reader's eyes. Long lines of type can also be difficult and tiresome to read. It is very easy for readers to get lost making the transition from the end of one line of text to the beginning of the next. Where lines are lengthened, it is generally necessary to increase the space between lines and the overall result is no saving in paper.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Post Offices

Peter Bone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the percentage of people living in rural areas who are within one mile of a post office; and how many lived within one mile in 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.
	I understand that Post Office Ltd.'s latest figures show that 81.95 per cent. of the population in rural areas are within one mile of a post office branch. The same information for 1997 is not available.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Assaults

Alan Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions took place for  (a) assaults and  (b) assaults with a minor injury in (i) each basic command unit in Durham constabulary and (ii) each police force in each year since 2002; and how many were successful.

Tony McNulty: Information taken from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform showing the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for the assault offences requested, broken down by police force area for 2002-05, is provided in the following tables.
	It is not possible to separately identify basic command units in Durham police force area as the data are not collected at that level of detail.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for common assaults and Assaults occasioning actual bodily harm, by police force area, England and Wales 2002-05( 1, 2) 
			  Statutes: Various Offence class: Common assaults etc 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 Avon and Somerset 1,362 754 1,419 789 1,604 934 1,890 1,279 
			 Bedfordshire 526 246 694 307 869 364 987 452 
			 Cambridgeshire 533 334 564 347 607 396 854 563 
			 Cheshire 801 508 890 544 891 575 1,207 831 
			 City of London 34 28 42 18 36 21 50 23 
			 Cleveland 407 234 625 350 860 426 706 444 
			 Cumbria 506 359 580 407 725 474 828 573 
			 Derbyshire 1,018 561 1,240 684 1,437 883 1,922 1,130 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,617 1,044 1,648 1,041 1,953 1,204 2,164 1,333 
			 Dorset 602 363 545 340 596 406 773 518 
			 Durham 453 341 458 318 453 337 569 434 
			 Essex 1,455 840 1,543 894 1,796 1,068 2,429 1,419 
			 Gloucestershire 447 287 474 307 495 349 694 498 
			 Greater Manchester 1,648 998 1,888 1,183 2,808 1,825 3,222 2,135 
			 Hampshire 2,083 1,322 2,436 1,480 3,217 1,982 2,937 1,863 
			 Hertfordshire 610 376 830 461 1,179 621 1,654 856 
			 Humberside 692 444 846 587 1,022 755 1,089 842 
			 Kent 1,500 810 1,722 930 1,753 1,075 1,735 1,153 
			 Lancashire 1,569 844 1,755 993 1,802 1,034 2,371 1,512 
			 Leicestershire 944 527 1,090 630 1,200 734 1,810 1,097 
			 Lincolnshire 905 480 975 570 1,012 567 964 585 
			 Merseyside 1,217 671 1,647 946 2,159 1,153 2,319 1,287 
			 Metropolitan Police 5,210 2,829 5,427 2,941 6,020 3,416 7,125 4,063 
			 Norfolk 978 612 1,051 617 1,066 678 951 662 
			 North Yorkshire 708 420 673 438 891 582 1,126 765 
			 Northamptonshire 498 283 550 331 568 361 698 419 
			 Northumbria 1,431 776 1,779 947 1,698 1,106 1,699 1,128 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,892 910 1,940 906 1,750 917 1,966 1,098 
			 South Yorkshire 1,005 580 1,275 724 1,423 929 1,614 1,049 
			 Staffordshire 1,559 780 1,647 802 2,094 938 2,292 1,080 
			 Suffolk 805 467 957 536 1,140 704 1,122 770 
			 Surrey 637 293 844 415 964 492 1,045 601 
			 Sussex 1,435 768 1,496 809 1,845 1,075 1,811 1,099 
			 Thames Valley 1,464 796 1,528 841 1,691 984 2,508 1,524 
			 Warwickshire 274 192 276 176 285 194 365 273 
			 West Mercia 1,262 676 1,367 733 1,604 948 1,804 1,131 
			 West Midlands 5,203 2,467 5,537 2,529 5,567 2,793 4,514 2,848 
			 West Yorkshire 3,265 1,577 3,603 2,010 3,834 2,445 4,160 2,579 
			 Wiltshire 743 519 916 623 866 616 912 620 
			 Dyfed-Powys 534 258 556 317 587 350 574 358 
			 Gwent 630 374 606 343 594 371 645 387 
			 North Wales 774 476 704 501 845 566 956 643 
			 South Wales 977 525 1,083 617 1,223 682 1,391 820 
			 England and Wales 52,213 28,949 57,726 32,282 65,029 38,330 72,452 44,744 
		
	
	
		
			  Statute: Common Law and Offences against the Person Act 1861 S.47 Offence: Assaults occasioning actual bodily harm 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 Avon and Somerset 718 316 778 358 544 280 576 389 
			 Bedfordshire 257 106 261 95 380 107 339 122 
			 Cambridgeshire 252 175 237 168 249 161 364 239 
			 Cheshire 757 335 648 282 380 233 557 340 
			 City of London 39 21 25 13 25 8 32 9 
			 Cleveland 332 142 388 162 322 191 357 220 
			 Cumbria 435 258 432 263 405 263 472 307 
			 Derbyshire 704 322 697 333 665 317 855 497 
			 Devon and Cornwall 830 368 906 415 771 396 736 363 
			 Dorset 296 139 247 144 228 129 358 220 
			 Durham 480 289 414 241 313 196 385 261 
			 Essex 526 242 618 258 672 291 698 285 
			 Gloucestershire 277 136 246 143 196 113 293 162 
			 Greater Manchester 2,583 1,064 3,106 1,128 2,978 1,288 1,954 1,228 
			 Hampshire 983 530 963 530 810 478 860 521 
			 Hertfordshire 501 259 495 200 601 243 740 282 
			 Humberside 613 308 640 336 453 298 433 306 
			 Kent 849 287 908 350 564 283 522 379 
			 Lancashire 1,102 570 1,164 545 856 483 893 555 
			 Leicestershire 747 378 724 338 681 325 786 375 
			 Lincolnshire 297 120 266 152 320 165 267 156 
			 Merseyside 1,319 542 1,754 587 1,576 588 910 540 
			 Metropolitan Police 3,920 1,412 3,706 1,361 2,869 1,340 2,633 1,359 
			 Norfolk 328 177 334 142 227 116 244 159 
			 North Yorkshire 287 160 293 185 307 194 359 237 
			 Northamptonshire 380 144 397 144 289 161 346 206 
			 Northumbria 1,236 544 1,253 509 884 441 740 470 
			 Nottinghamshire 776 297 669 272 483 271 467 311 
			 South Yorkshire 710 434 746 421 563 423 629 453 
			 Staffordshire 543 281 564 279 630 292 604 332 
			 Suffolk 376 166 468 185 360 190 372 237 
			 Surrey 227 93 247 96 233 118 222 126 
			 Sussex 618 286 655 302 458 255 629 323 
			 Thames Valley 716 296 715 329 591 309 800 426 
			 Warwickshire 162 96 138 79 157 98 167 130 
			 West Mercia 662 375 641 343 496 297 647 400 
			 West Midlands 3,957 1,415 4,246 1,341 3,267 1,223 1,806 969 
			 West Yorkshire 1,811 558 1,593 579 1,246 661 1,023 623 
			 Wiltshire 234 125 268 169 219 146 251 190 
			 Dyfed-Powys 450 172 444 219 268 175 256 161 
			 Gwent 430 248 490 241 432 233 378 209 
			 North Wales 331 181 341 199 334 207 440 259 
			 South Wales 1,246 537 1,286 525 1,383 552 1,265 574 
			 England and Wales 34,297 14,904 35,411 14,961 29,685 14,538 27,665 15,910 
			 (1) These data are provided on a principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to insure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Assaults

Alan Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) assaults and  (b) assaults with a minor injury took place on police officers in (i) each basic command unit in Durham Constabulary and (ii) each police force in each year since 2002.

Tony McNulty: The numbers of serious and other assaults on police officers are given in the following tables. These data are not available by basic command unit and have been provided at force level.
	
		
			  Serious and other assaults( 1)  on police officers 2001-02 to 2004-05( 2,3) 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			  Force  Serious  Other  Serious  Other  Serious  Other  Serious  Other 
			 Avon and Somerset 64 272 0 366 3 490 0 296 
			 Bedfordshire 18 76 8 66 2 115 0 106 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 117 2 149 2 166 1 148 
			 Cheshire 5 214 4 348 13 378 2 337 
			 City of London 2 60 0 43 4 44 2 51 
			 Cleveland 44 214 0 59 0 67 0 63 
			 Cumbria 3 77 12 108 4 107 2 93 
			 Derbyshire 0 241 0 290 1 229 0 228 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3 253 7 319 12 306 19 314 
			 Dorset 1 155 1 196 1 130 1 164 
			 Durham 3 301 1 240 2 219 3 133 
			 Dyfed-Powys 7 115 2 132 4 100 4 137 
			 Essex 0 225 0 260 1 374 2 393 
			 Gloucestershire 2 121 1 148 3 144 0 170 
			 Greater Manchester 19 855 25 909   16 1,006 
			 Gwent 0 340 3 178 2 207 2 176 
			 Hampshire 5 172 12 490 25 518 24 384 
			 Hertfordshire 0 169 1 193 2 169 0 185 
			 Humberside 12 176 21 240 14 182 3 127 
			 Kent 2 361 25 342 27 347 5 394 
			 Lancashire(4,5) 57 239 67 264 
			 Leicestershire 0 235 8 202 11 191 14 291 
			 Lincolnshire 3 164 6 162 0 166 29 169 
			 Merseyside 0 147 0 10 0 182 0 165 
			 Metropolitan Police  1,438  1,898  2,349 25 2,589 
			 Norfolk 8 163 6 220 16 166 9 199 
			 Northamptonshire  136  149 7 102 0 98 
			 Northumbria 37 501 0 691 0 39 25 215 
			 North Wales 0 111 0 91 7 89 0 111 
			 North Yorkshire 2 109 7 118 8 232 0 279 
			 Nottinghamshire 3 171 0 391 19 90 10 224 
			 South Wales 0 893 5 1,037 2 702 5 707 
			 South Yorkshire 10 199 3 161 5 187 2 161 
			 Staffordshire 5 174 2 144 0 119 0 158 
			 Suffolk 4 166 1 160 10 175 2 193 
			 Surrey 18 157 0 223 9 216 18 238 
			 Sussex 7 277 11 175 6 324 11 405 
			 Thames Valley 5 315 4 312 5 308 9 260 
			 Warwickshire 4 152 3 201 0 250 0 256 
			 West Mercia 18 234 10 235 17 210 7 199 
			 West Midlands(4,5) 11 1,085 2 1,262 
			 West Yorkshire 6 1,015 2 779 9 847 7 882 
			 Wiltshire 11 101 1 136 0 165 3 121 
			 (1) Data collated on behalf of and published by HMIC. Serious assaults are those for which the charge would be under Sections 18 and 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. Recording practices may vary between forces. (2) Financial year runs 1 April to 31 March inclusive. (3) Data for 2005-06 has been collated but not yet been validated. Figures will be available in the HMIC Annual Report 2005-06 due for publication by March 2007. (4) Lancashire and West Midlands were not able to provide breakdowns of numbers for different assaults in 2003-04, however the number of overall assaults was 462 and 1,112 respectively. (5) Lancashire and West Midlands were not able to provide breakdowns of numbers for different assaults in 2004-05, however the number of overall assaults was 521 and 910 respectively.

Asylum Registration Cards

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum registration cards were issued in each month since July 2006.

Liam Byrne: The number of application registration cards issued in each month since July 2006 is as follows:
	
		
			  Month  Total 
			 July 2,704 
			 August 3,441 
			 September 3,354 
			 October 2,895 
			 November 2,963 
			 December(1) 1,091 
			 (1) 1-11 inclusive

Asylum and Immigration

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by his Department in working with the Local Government Association, London councils, the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Communities and Local Government to review the cost of supporting destitute failed asylum seekers.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office has agreed to establish a working group to discuss a wide range of issues raised by local authorities in respect of asylum seekers, including the costs of supporting those that are destitute but are not supported directly by the Home Office. It is expected that this group will be meeting early in 2007 to agree a programme of work for the year based upon proposals from the local authority representative organisations. This group will specifically focus on issues that relate to more than one local authority.
	In the interim, the Home Office continues to work with the local authority representative organisations and individual local authorities on specific issues as they are raised.

Asylum and Immigration

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many under-18s were detained in immigration removal centres on 30 November 2006.

Liam Byrne: On 30 November there were a total of 56 under-18s detained in immigration removal centres.

Asylum and Immigration

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many under-18s were held at Colnbrook immigration removal centre on 30 November 2006.

Liam Byrne: There were no under-18s held at Colnbrook immigration removal centre on 30 November 2006.

Bereavement Counselling

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what services are provided by Government for people bereaved as a result of a  (a) homicide and  (b) road crash; what the cost was for providing these services in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Home Office provides services for people bereaved as a result of a homicide through an annual grant in aid to Victim Support and an annual grant to Support After Murder and Manslaughter (SAMM). The Home Office has also produced the Advice for Bereaved Families and Friends Following Murder and Manslaughter pack since 2004.
	The Home Office funds the BrakeCare guide for bereaved families and friends. This has been funded since 2001 and is provided to families by police officers following a road crash. The cost for producing the guide in 2006-07 is 50,324.17.
	The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority also provides financial compensation to the relatives and dependents of people killed as a result of violent crime.
	
		
			  Victim support 
			   Funding ( million) 
			 2002-03 29.3 
			 2003-04 30 
			 2004-05 30 
			 2005-06 30 
			 2006-07 30 
		
	
	
		
			  SAMM 
			   Funding () 
			 2002-03 130,000 
			 2003-04 140,000 
			 2004-05 140,000 
			 2005-06 140,000 
			 2006-07 140,000

Child Immigrants

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children who had been detained for more than 28 days were being held at immigration detention centres on  (a) 31 August,  (b) 30 September and  (c) 31 October.

Liam Byrne: Quarterly snapshots are published showing the number of people detained under Immigration Act powers on the last Saturday of each quarter. As at 30 September 2006, there were no persons recorded as being under 18, detained solely under Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 powers, who had been detained for more than 28 days.
	The number of children detained with their families solely under Immigration Act powers will change from day to day. However, internal management information shows that, as at 31 August 2006 there were three minors, and as at 31 October there were three minors detained with their families under Immigration Act powers, who had been detained for more than 28 days. These individuals were all detained as part of families whose detention as a group was considered necessary. These figures do not constitute part of national statistics as they are based on management information. This information has not been quality assured under national statistics protocols and should be treated as provisional.
	Minors are detained only in two limited circumstances: first, as part of a family group whose detention is considered appropriate; secondly, when unaccompanied, while alternative care arrangements are made and normally just overnight. Whilst the detention of families with children is very regrettable, it nevertheless remains necessary in appropriate cases in order to maintain an effective immigration control and to tackle abuses of the asylum system.
	Information on the number of persons detained is published in the quarterly asylum bulletin, on the Home Office Research, development and statistics directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1 .html

Corporal Punishment

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals for legislation to abolish all forms of corporal punishment of children.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	Children are already protected against intentional harm, whether physical or psychological, by the general law of assault. Corporal punishment in schools is already illegal.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letter to him dated 9 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Ms Jacinta Monteiro.

John Reid: I wrote to the hon. Member on 28 November 2006.

Crime: Cumbria

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of  (a) violence against the person, (b) theft and  (c) criminal damage were committed in Cumbria in each year since 1998.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: selected offences recorded by the police in Cumbria, 1998-99 to 2001-02 Number of offences 
			  Number of offences 
			   Violence against the person  Theft and handling stolen goods  Criminal damage 
			 1998-99 5,582 16,504 8,405 
			 1999-2000 5,142 14,687 8,943 
			 2000-01 5,359 14,094 10,126 
			 2001-02 5,334 14,069 10,120 
			  Note: Expanded offence coverage and revised counting rules came into effect on 1 April 1998. The figures in this table are therefore not directly comparable with those for earlier years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: selected offences recorded by the police in Cumbria, 2002-03 to 2005-06 
			  Number of offences 
			   Violence against the person  Theft and handling stolen goods  Criminal damage 
			 2002-03 5,725 13,821 10,304 
			 2003-04 6,874 13,210 11,629 
			 2004-05 9,195 13,076 12,858 
			 2005-06 9,250 12,249 13,648 
			  Note: The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the national crime recording standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Departmental Computer Data

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any of his Department's  (a) computer data and  (b) computer back-up data is stored outside the United Kingdom.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office does not store computer data or computer back-up data outside the United Kingdom.

Departmental Computer Data

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any corrupt data have been detected on his Department's computer systems.

Liam Byrne: Since 2001 there have been isolated incidents of data corruption with Home Office ICT services.

Departmental Computer Data

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department where his Department's computer  (a) data and  (b) back-up data is physically stored.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office's computer data and back-up data is stored in secure buildings across the UK. These buildings comply with HM Government security standards for handling storing and processing information and the addresses of these buildings are not to be released into the public domain.

Departmental Expenditure

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the cases of overspend on his Department's projects costing over 5 million since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Overall control of spend on any project is the responsibility of its senior responsible owner working within the Department's investment approval process.

Departmental Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was to his Department of conferences relating to the new asylum model in the last 12 months.

Liam Byrne: Costs in the last 12 months total 42,130.19.

Departmental Library

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the budget for his Department's library was for each of the last five years.

John Reid: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The Home Office library forms part of the larger information services unit, which has had a number of different functions over the last five years, and a budget for the library alone cannot be isolated using the records available. The overall budget for this unit in each of the last five years is shown as follows. The figures include provision for various costs incurred on behalf of the Home Office group, such as copyright licensing, that have been or are currently funded from the unit budget.
	
		
			   Costs incurred () 
			 2002-03 2,143,657 
			 2003-04 2,396,680 
			 2004-05 1,631,000 
			 2005-06 1,195,315 
			 2006-07 1,044,181

Departmental Staff

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) marketing officers,  (b) communications officers and  (c) press officers are employed in his Department; and what the total expenditure on communications for his Department was on (i) Government information and communication service staff and (ii) other (A) press officers, (B) special advisers and (C) staff in the last year for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: The Government information and communication service has now been replaced by the Government communication network. The categories of staff asked about do not match the recognised GCN specialisms. The two categories of staff that do fit are press and marketing officers.
	As of the 31 October 2006 the number of press officers employed was 37, and the number of marketing officers was 15. All were employed with the Department's communication directorate.
	The latest full year's communication expenditure data available is for 2005-06. The total marketing expenditure for that year was 22.1 million.
	This included all marketing campaigns, and publications. The total press communications spend for the same financial year was 182,000.

DNA Database

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people under 18 years who have DNA profiles stored on the national database have not been charged or cautioned for an offence; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ryan: Data on whether persons with a profile on the national DNA database have been charged or cautioned for an offence is not held on the NDNAD, but is held on the police national computer. However, the data requested is not currently available routinely from the PNC.
	The last available data on this issue was provided in the reply given by my hon. Friend, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Andy Burnham), on 31 January 2006,  Official Report, column 367. It was obtained from data extracted from the PNC for monitoring and research purposes.
	Updated information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by cross-searching approximately 3 million records retained for such persons on the PNC.

DNA Database

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of  (a) murder,  (b) manslaughter,  (c) grievous bodily harm and  (d) rape have been solved as a result of the retention on the DNA database of DNA profiles taken as a result of previous arrests that had not led to successful prosecutions.

Joan Ryan: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The most recent figures available are the result of research carried out in January 2006 that indicates that: 37 murders/manslaughters, 16 attempted murders and 90 rapes have so far been linked to people who had DNA samples taken on arrest but who were subsequently not proceeded against for the arresting offence.
	The figures are not collated as a matter of course and no further research has taken place as this would be a major project taking approximately two months.

DNA Database

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many DNA profiles were recorded on the national DNA database in each of the last two years.

Joan Ryan: In 2004-05, 521,117 subject sample profiles were added to the national DNA database. In addition, 59,048 crime scene sample profiles from unsolved crime scenes were added to the Database.
	In 2005-06, 715,239 subject sample profiles and 68,774 crime stain profiles were added to the NDNAD.

DNA Database

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of people on the DNA database have been convicted of a crime.

Joan Ryan: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Mr. Crabb) on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 491 and the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, Home Department to the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden (David Davis) on 13 December 2006,  Official Report, column 1108.

DNA Database

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost is of collecting and entering one DNA profile onto the national DNA Database; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ryan: The costs for collecting and processing one DNA sample fall to individual police forces and establishing this is dependent on the contractual agreement between the force and the forensic supplier. This information is deemed to be commercially confidential.

Driver Improvement Courses

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether acceptance of a place on a driver improvement course offered by Bedfordshire police in lieu of prosecution involves admission of liability for the alleged offence on the part of the motorist.

Tony McNulty: Acceptance of a place on a driver improvement scheme does not require admission of liability for the alleged offence on the part of the motorist.

Driver Improvement Courses

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of fees for the driver improvement course offered by Bedfordshire police service to motorists is received by the service.

Tony McNulty: The national driver improvement scheme is managed by a steering group chaired by the Association of Chief Police Officers and with representatives from the Home Office and Department for Transport. Courses within the scheme are provided by independent contractors on behalf of the police and payment is to the service provider. Information on local contractual arrangements is not available centrally.

Efficiency Gains

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will break down by area of expenditure the 445 million efficiency gains set out in paragraph 6.18 of the pre-Budget report; and how much of those gains was achieved from externally procured or contracted services.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 19 December 2006
	The Department has reduced the cost of providing asylum support by 161 million since 2004-05 by renegotiating accommodation contracts with external contractors and ensuring that new contract arrangements minimise the payments of voids (contracted accommodation which we paid for regardless of occupancy). We have also released 221 million by ensuring applicants are given the right status, clearing older cases out of the system and improving processes to cease support efficiently and 63 million by increasing the use of more efficient pre-planned initial accommodation rather than expensive emergency accommodation.

Escort Services

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments his Department has made to security firms for  (a) detention and  (b) escort services provided to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate since 2005-05, broken down by services provided (i) in England and Wales and (ii) involving escort work overseas; which 10 businesses were paid the greatest amount for such service in that period; and what the amount was in each case.

Liam Byrne: The Secretary of State for the Home Department does not separately record what payments were made for services exclusively provided in England and Wales for detention services or in country escorts.
	Overseas escorts were undertaken in the period May 2005 to November 2006 as follows:
	
		
			
			 G4S (Group 4 Securicor) 9,040,816.22 
			 RSI (RSI Ltd.) 2,480,201.92 
			 ITA (International Trading Agency) 743,774.98 
			 The GEO Group 122,486.95 
			 LPI (Loss Prevention International) 3,895.63

Foreign Prisoners

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases involving foreign prisoners claiming to be wrongfully detained after the end of their sentence have been settled  (a) out of court and  (b) in court in each of the last two years, broken down by the month in which they were settled.

John Reid: This information is not kept centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Furniture

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by his Department on furniture made by British firms in each year since 2000.

Liam Byrne: Information on the amount spent by the Department on furniture made by British firms since 2000 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent by his Department and agencies in order to achieve Gershon efficiency savings; whether these costs were included in reports of headline efficiency savings; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The baseline and approach to assessing increases in value for money in my Department are set out in the technical note, available via:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/sr2004-value-for-money-tech-note/SR2004-Value-Money-Target?view=Binary.
	The focus of the Department's value for money programme is to stimulate genuine improvements in outcomes, including the effective delivery of public services at the front line.

Harmondsworth Centre

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those resident at the Harmondsworth Immigration Detention Centre on 29 November 2006 have  (a) been bailed,  (b) been transferred to (i) other immigration detention centres, (ii) secure prison accommodation, (iii) open prison accommodation and (iv) police cells and  (c) remained resident at Harmondsworth since that date.

John Reid: Of the detainees resident in Harmondsworth immigration removal centre on 29 November, none were bailed. However 422 detainees were transferred to other places of detention: 309 to other immigration removal centres, 102 to Prison Service accommodation and 11 to police stations, while 60 remained in Harmondsworth.

Harmondsworth Centre

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the results of internal inquiries into disturbances at Harmondsworth Immigration detention centre before 29 November.

John Reid: An investigation was carried out by the head of security group, HM Prison Service following the disturbance at Harmondsworth immigration removal centre on 19/20 July 2004. A copy of this report was placed in the House of Commons Library on 16 November 2006. (HC 1265)

Harmondsworth Centre

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his written statement of 30 November 2006,  Official Report, column 115WS, on Harmondsworth, what assessment he has made of the  (a) reasons for and  (b) effect of the delay in the arrival of the Prison Service Tornado teams until 6 am.

John Reid: Prison Service Tornado teams were dispatched throughout the night from prisons all over the south of England. Arrival times at Harmondsworth depended on the distance prison service staff would have to travel. All prison service staff were fully briefed before entering the centre.

Harmondsworth Centre

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct an inquiry into the disturbances at Harmondsworth immigration detention centre on 29 November.

John Reid: An inquiry will be conducted into the disturbances at Harmondsworth immigration removal centre on the night of 28 November. A decision on who will undertake this investigation is currently being considered.

Harmondsworth Centre

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the contract to run the Harmondsworth immigration detention centre includes provision for his Department's press office to deal with press inquiries on behalf of the contractor  (a) at all times and  (b) in response to specific events.

John Reid: The Contract between Harmondsworth detention services and the Secretary of State for the Home Department ('the Authority') to run Harmondsworth IRC does not include provision for the Authority's press office to deal with press inquiries on behalf of the contractor  (a) at all times and  (b) in response to specific events.

Harmondsworth Centre

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detainees have been removed from Harmondsworth immigration removal centre following the incident on 28 November; and where they have been accommodated.

Liam Byrne: The number of detainees removed from Harmondsworth immigration removal centre following the incident on 28 November was 422. The detainees have been relocated to other removal centres within the immigration detention estate and to prisons.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Immigration and Nationality Directorate will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Warley of 5 September on behalf of Mr. Kumar of Capethorn Road, Smethwick.

Liam Byrne: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) wrote to the hon. Member for Warley on 22 December 2006.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time taken by the forgery unit of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to resolve a case was in the latest period for which figures are available.

John Reid: The IND intelligence service national document fraud unit (NDFU) is responsible for conducting examinations of suspect travel documents for the immigration and nationality directorate. Those requiring urgent witness statements for court proceedings are processed within 24 hours others within five working days. Where a statement is challenged by the defence in a court case, a full expert statement is provided within 10 days. All other requests for travel document examination are processed within 28 days.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases the forgery unit of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are working on.

John Reid: I am advised that in an average month, the IND intelligence service national document fraud unit, which is responsible for suspect document examination in the immigration and nationality directorate, will conduct between 1,300 to 1,500 examinations. In November 2006, 1,432 document examinations were conducted.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many forged document cases at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are unsolved.

John Reid: The national document fraud unit is the principal unit responsible for the examination of suspect travel documents in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate and undertakes examinations on a rolling basis as detailed in the answer provided to the hon. Member (parliamentary question 112728). As such, there are no unsolved cases.

Justice and Home Affairs: Passerelle

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government are opposed in principle to the use of the passerelle in justice and home affairs.

Joan Ryan: I refer the hon. Member to the statement given to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 December 2006. As my right hon. Friend noted, the Government firmly believe that the current focus should be on getting JHA policies and cooperation right and it welcomed the emphasis on practical co-operation in the conclusions from the European Council. As we stated at the December Justice and Home Affairs Council, the Government regard the current debate as over.

Langley House

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are any plans to renegotiate the contract with Langley house to supply secure beds to the Home Office.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The national probation directorate has had in place a service level agreement with Langley house trust since February 2003. Under the terms of the SLA, places are available across most of its projects, some of which have 24-hour staffing cover, as well as nine enhanced supervisions beds. Officials are currently in discussions with Langley house trust about an agreement to provide supervised accommodation in 2007-08 for offenders managed by probation areas, which will supersede the existing SLA.

National Offender Management Service

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he expects in the number of probation officers required under the offender management model of supervision.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The offender management model is subject to a phased implementation which began in 2005/06. We have yet to decide what the full extent of implementation will be but our current plans would require in the order of an additional 270 offender managers by the end of 2008/09. These would be a mixture of probation officers and probation service officers.

National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the 55,000 cash sum seized from a proscribed terrorist organisation by the national terrorist financial investigation unit reported in 2002 has been disposed of.

Tony McNulty: In the later part of 2001 and early 2002 two separate cash seizures were made by the national terrorist financial investigation unit. These were 17,000 in 2001 and 105,000 deutschmarks in 2002. The later was converted to about 35,000. Both these seizures were made under the Terrorism Act 2000 and were subsequently forfeited. Upon being forfeited the funds were passed from the Metropolitan Police Service to HM Treasury.

National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what way the seizure of funds from a proscribed terrorist organisation by the national terrorist financial investigation unit make a significant impact on that organisation's ability to operate.

Tony McNulty: Many terrorist groups on the list of proscribed organisations are based abroad but have used the UK for funding purposes. Proscribing such organisations and seizing their funds can severely limit their operations, as all aspects of terrorist activity cost money and such organisations are often dependent upon funds raised in foreign countries, including the UK. Operations involving the seizures of cash have a dual effect of both preventing terrorist attacks and disrupting the flow of terrorist funds.
	The national terrorist financial investigation unit is the UK's law enforcement agency responsible for the investigation of terrorist finance and therefore plays the leading role in identifying funds associated with terrorism. Such funds are liable to seizure and forfeiture as set out in various legislation, including the Terrorism Act 2000 and the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the national terrorist financial investigation unit cost between 2001 and 2006.

Tony McNulty: For reasons of national security, the Home Office does not comment on the operational capacity of units, like the national terrorist financial investigation unit, involved in counter terrorism.

New Asylum Model

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extra staff have been recruited to his Department to operate the new asylum model.

Liam Byrne: Recruitment to the new asylum model does not represent an increase in total asylum staffing.

Parliamentary Questions

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to parliamentary question 107352 on Abid Javaid, tabled by the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden for answer on 4 December 2006.

John Reid: I replied to the right hon. Member on 12 December 2006,  Official Report, column 1045W.

Prison Management

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has collected on the comparative efficacy of  (a) private prisons and  (b) public sector managed prisons in (i) reducing recidivism, (ii) effective use of capacity and (iii) value for money.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 6 December 2006
	The efficacy of private finance initiative and public sector managed prisons was examined by the National Audit Office in their 2003 report, The Operational Performance of PFI Prisons.
	The NAO report examined the performance of PFI prisons against their contractual requirements and against a range of comparable prisons run by the Prison Service. The NAO also considered the impact that the PFI has had on the Prison Service generally. At the time of the NAO report there were seven operational private prisons. The NAO reported that these seven prisons had brought benefits to the Prison Service.
	In addition to opening privately run prisons, the Home Office has also introduced performance testing for public sector managed prisons seeking to improve performance in the public sector managed estate. There is evidence that performance testing of prisons has delivered significant improvements.
	HM Chief Inspector of Prisons has reported on significant improvements in performance following performance testing for HMP Dartmoor (2001) and HMP Bullingdon (2004).

Prisons

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances drug users who begin a custodial sentence  (a) are required to go through a detoxification process and  (b) are allowed to continue using drugs or drug substitutes; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: These decisions are made on the basis of clinical need.
	On reception, all prisoners undergo a health screening triage process. Following this, those with possible substance misuse issues undergo an additional specialist clinical assessment.
	In cases where drug dependency is identified, decisions on the further management is based on the clinical assessment and is a matter for local clinical judgment. For those with a heroin misuse problem, such treatment may include the effective management of the symptoms of withdrawal or maintenance prescribing with an opiate substitute. Methadone or buphrenorphine are two of the interventions used in both instances.

Prisons

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many prisoners were prosecuted for offences committed in prison of  (a) violence,  (b) drugs,  (c) threatening or abusive behaviour and  (d) two or more of the above categories in each year since 1997-98;
	(2)  how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions there were for offences committed by prisoners while in prison in each year since 1997-98.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information on the numbers of offences committed by prisoners while in detention in prison establishments in England and Wales can be found in tables 9.1-9.3 in the recently published Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2005, a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library and which can be found at the following website:
	http://homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb1806.pdf
	Information on the numbers of prosecutions brought against prisoners detained in prison establishments is not collated in the form requested and would not be available without disproportionate cost.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system, and although shown to the last individual the figures may not be accurate to that level.

Prisons

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent guidance has been issued by the Prison Service on the adoption of common criteria for the distribution of condoms in prisons.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Prison doctors were advised in 1995 that they should make condoms available to individual prisoners, on application, if in their clinical judgment there is a risk of transmission of HIV and/or sexually transmitted illness (STIs) infection during sexual activity.
	In July 2006, this guidance was reiterated in a letter to prison governors and prison health care managers to ensure greater compliance across the prison estate. There has been no shift in the principle of the policy, although health care workers as well as doctors may now be able to issue condoms.

Prisons

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are earning at or above the national minimum wage.

Gerry Sutcliffe: While detailed information on the number of prisoners earning at or above the national minimum wage is not held centrally, all prisoners working at stage two resettlement will be paid, in the same way as other employees working in community, at or above the minimum wage.
	Within closed institutions, a number of small projects such as the Howard League 'Barbed' initiative are designed to provide prisoners with employment skills. These prisoners will receive payment rates comparable to outside employees.

Probation Service

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been allocated to training and development for those working in the probation service for  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) 2008-09.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Home Office funds directly allocated for probation training and development in the period 2006-07 stand at 42,039,806. Probation areas across England and Wales also allocate additional funds for training from local budgets. The Home Office does not currently monitor this funding and so precise figures are not available.
	Predictions for the financial year 2007-08 and are still being collated and will be available when budget delegation letters are issued later this year. No information is yet available for the financial year 2008-09, however there is a clear policy commitment to the continuing provision of training and development for those working within the probation service.

Recidivism

Alan Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his most recent estimate is of the rate of recidivism amongst  (a) child sex offenders,  (b) other sex offenders,  (c) violent crime offenders and  (d) other classes of offender.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The most recent re-offending rates by offence sentenced were published in November as Re-offending of Adults: Results from the 2003 Cohort, Home Office Statistical Bulletin 20/06. The report is available online at http://www. homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb2006.pdfhttp: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb2006.pdf and covers offenders starting community sentences or being discharged from prison in England and Wales in the first quarter of 2003. Actual re-offending rates by sentenced offence can be found in Table A2 and are illustrated in figure six.
	Evidence suggests that offenders do not specialise in the type of offences that they commit. In the sample used for this publication, only 29 per cent. of those who re-offended committed their first re-offence in the same type as their original offence.

Recidivism

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the adjusted re-offending rate for persons on community orders was during the two-year period following completion of the order at the latest date available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information regarding re-offending data after the community order has been completed is not readily available. Re-offending data are calculated from the commencement of the community order or from the completion of a custodial sentence.
	Re-offending rates are no longer adjusted. Previously, reconviction data were adjusted to take account of pseudo-convictions which were offences that occurred before the sentence but processed during the sentence. As recidivism is now measured using re-offending, adjustment for pseudo-convictions is no longer needed.
	Please see Table A5 of Re-offending of Adults: Evidence from the 2003 Cohort for the most recent information on re-offending rates by disposal available at this link:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb2006.pdf
	Pages 10 and 11, including figure 9, of the same publication provide evidence regarding the relationship between disposal and re-offending rates.

Release and Recall Section

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contractors have referred breaches of curfew orders to the Release and Recall Section in each quarter for which figures are available; how many of these breaches were referred onto the police; and what the average time was between a referral to the Release and Recall Section and the informing of the police.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 18 December 2006
	At the start of the Home Detention Curfew Scheme in January 1999, there were three electronic monitoring contractors operating across England and Wales. New contracts were negotiated in 2005 resulting in two contractors taking over the operation. The contractors are responsible for all electronic monitoring schemes, including that of Home Detention Curfew. Release and Recall Section within the National Offender Management Service is responsible for the recall of offenders who have been released on HDC whereas the responsibility for breaching curfew orders falls to the courts.
	The contractors are required to notify Release and Recall Section of breaches of the curfew condition by offenders on Home Detention Curfew. Figures for breaches are broken down annually. While reconfiguring this information into quarters would incur disproportionate cost, the following table provides the total number of offenders recalled to custody by Release and Recall Section for breaching the conditions of Home Detention Curfew since the scheme was first introduced in January 1999.
	Release and Recall Section notifies the police in every case where an offender is recalled to custody, and have a target to do this within 24 hours of being notified by the contractor of the breach of curfew. Throughout the entirety of the scheme there has been almost 100 per cent. compliance with the target.
	
		
			  Total number of offenders recalled to custody by Release and Recall Section for breaching the conditions of Home Detention Curfew since the scheme was first introduced in January1999 
			   Number 
			 1999 750 
			 2000 713 
			 2001 553 
			 2002 1,206 
			 2003 2,211 
			 2004 2,395 
			 2005 2,148 
			 2006 (end of September) 1,391 
			 Total 11,367

Retirement Age

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 189-90W, on the retirement age, what his Department's policy is on the application of the national default retirement age to staff below the senior civil service.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office has applied the default retirement age of 65 for staff below the senior civil service.

Road Accidents: Prosecutions

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of fatal road crashes have resulted in a criminal prosecution in the last five years.

Stephen Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not available.

Rural Services

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what programmes his Department operates to make particular provision in rural areas; and what the cost of such programmes is expected to be in 2007-08.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 12 December 2006
	The Government are committed to building a strong economy and fair society where there is opportunity and security for all. This commitment applies equally in rural and urban areas. The majority of this Department's programmes benefit both rural and urban areas. However to provide information on the cost of these programmes in rural areas alone is possible only at disproportionate cost.

Sentencing Discounts

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will assess the merits of introducing differential sentencing discounts for guilty pleas made  (a) before trial and  (b) at trial.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 11 December 2006
	Such a differential is already provided for in the guideline on reduction in sentence for a guilty plea, published by the Sentencing Guidelines Council in 2004. It states that
	the level of the reduction will be gauged on a sliding scale ranging from a maximum of one third (where the guilty plea was entered at the first reasonable opportunity in relation to the offence for which sentence is being imposed), reducing to a maximum of one quarter (where a trial date has been set) and to a maximum of one tenth (for a guilty plea entered at the 'door of the court' or after the trial has begun).

Terrorism Act

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases of people arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 a charge was ultimately brought under  (a) the threshold test and  (b) the full code test.

Tony McNulty: The police and the Crown Prosecution Service do not routinely collate this information and to answer the question could be done only at disproportionate costs.

Victim Support

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many victims were supported by Victim Support in each of the last five years; and of these, what percentage were victims bereaved as a result of a criminal offence.

Gerry Sutcliffe: In 2005-06 almost 1.4 million people were referred to Victim Support for help. Of these 1,094 or 0.07 per cent. were as a result of homicide (from Victim Support's annual report 2005-06. Victim Support's definitions of homicide are murder, attempted murder, threat or conspiracy to murder, manslaughter, and infanticide and child destruction).
	This is an increase in referrals from 2004-05 when nearly 1.3 million people were referred to Victim Support. Of these, 1,168 or 0.09 per cent. were as a result of homicide.
	In 2005-06, 642 people were referred to Victim Support as a result of road death (including victims of criminal offences and non-criminal offences). The previous year the number was 947.

Victim Support

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what victim groups have received money from the Victims fund since it was set up in 2004, broken down by type of crime; how much in each year has been provided for each group since 2004; and whether there are plans to extend the range of victims' groups eligible for support.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Since it opened the Victims Fund has focused on supporting victims of sexual violence and abuse. It was opened with 4 million distributed over two years (2004-06) and this year we invested an additional 1.25 million into the fund. The Victims Fund has been used to resource a wide range of provisions including: 3.25 million directly into voluntary and community sector organisations; the development of sexual assault referral centres; a care and evidence training package; and a free publication entitled From Report to Court: A Legal Handbook for Adult Survivors of Sexual Violence. We will make announcements in due course about the scope and arrangements for the 2007-08 Victims Fund grant scheme.

Youth Justice System

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many first time entrants there were into the youth justice system in the year ending 31 March  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005 and  (c) 2006.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 18 December 2006
	The Home Office does not hold the requested data. Since 31 March 2005 the Youth Justice Board has had a target on reducing the number of first-time entrants into the youth justice system. Data from 2005-06 will form the baseline for this target which will be reported on in future years.